Anthony Van Dyck, far side, in front at the Curragh© Photo Healy Racing
Anthony Van Dyck brought up his hat-trick in comfortable fashion in the Group Two Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.
Aidan O'Brien 's charge went off 4/6 favourite on the back of a maiden victory at Killarney and a Group Three success in Leopardstown last month.
The 112-rated colt was ridden to take over from stablemate Christmas approaching the final furlong and was kept up to his work to score snugly by half a length.
He led home a Ballydoyle 1-2-3 as Christmas followed him at 13/2. Mohawk was two and a quarter lengths away in third.
Aidan O'Brien said: “I'm delighted. They needed to learn a little bit today and that's why they swung along there. You'd have to be very happy.
“The last day was his first time back to seven. He gets a little bit lazy in the middle of the race, but gets there, and he was doing it well again in the last furlong.
“I would imagine that they'll all probably come back here for the National Stakes.
“I'd say he'll get a mile well, we always viewed him as a horse that would get middle distances next season.
“He had a tough enough race today as they went all the way.”
This gave O'Brien and Moore a double on the card as they teamed up with Lost Treasure in the second race.
Paddy Power cut Anthony Van Dyck from 12/1 to 10/1 for the 2,000 Guineas and made him 10/1 favourite (from 16/1) for the Derby.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
