White Birch and Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
White Birch got his season off to a successful start when finishing strongly to land the featured Group 3 Tote.ie Alleged Stakes at the Curragh.
The John Murphy-trained grey took the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes on his reappearance at Leopardstown last year but hasn’t won since, although he did finish third behind Auguste Rodin in the Betfred Derby at Epsom.
The son of Ulysses was patiently ridden by Colin Keane, completing a 20/1 plus double having been on the mark earlier aboard Crystal Black Crypto Force set the pace in this ten-furlong event but the race really changed complexion a furlong out as the first three home all challenged towards the stand side.
White Birch led 150 yards out and the 100/30 favourite kept on well under Keane to beat Maxux by a neck with Village Voice just half-a-length further back in third.
Murphy's son and assistant trainer George said: "That was lovely, we're delighted with that.
“You'd always be worried a bit about fitness on that sticky ground but he did it lovely in the end, behaved very well and we couldn't be happier with him. It was a lovely way to start.
“He did everything right today, he was at the start for a good while and he was very chilled out. He travelled lovely throughout the race and did what he had to do when it mattered. He's seems more mature.
“He's in the Coronation and in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, we'll have a chat with the owners and see what they want to do from here. We'll see how he comes out of it first and go from there.
“He's clearly fairly good at a mile-and-a-quarter but obviously going back to a mile-and-a-half is no issue either.”
Paddy Power and Betfair cut White Birch into 20/1 (from 33/1) for the Coronation Cup.
Quotes by Gary Carson
