O'Brien starts 2019 on the right note Aidan O'Brien started as he'll mean to continue in 2019 as U S S Michigan (a 2/5 shot) made short work of the opposition in the Lengthen The Odds With BetVictor Maiden in Dundalk. On the back of a promising debut at the Curragh 244 days back when second, U S S Michigan stepped up a place, lengthening away down the outer from over a furlong out to see off Royal Court by two and a half lengths. O’Brien’s son Joseph trains the runner-up. Ryan Moore was in the plate on U S S Michigan and unfortunately due to a serious medical incident the stewards abandoned racing after this heat. “He’s a big horse and we gave him time. He could go for a trial on the all-weather at Chelmsford. We’ll see how he is after this," said O'Brien. For his part Moore stated: “He’s a big, strong horse who is going to get better through the year. He did that nicely from an outside stall as I had to use him up. When I asked him to go he went about his job very well.” (AM & EM)