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Review CURRAGH 13th Jul

Sun 13th Jul 2008, 17:30

< Moonstone came out best in a thrilling finish to the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh to give Aidan O'Brien his 13th Group One victory in a triumphant season.

The trainer's horses dominated from start to finish and the 2-1 favourite just grabbed the prize as she dipped her head at the right time to squeeze out 66-1 stable companion Ice Queen by a short head.< Perihelion led a phalanx of five O'Brien candidates up front for much of the way, with Ice Queen third and Moonstone fourth, and the other big guns arrived on the scene in the straight.

Ice Queen hit the front two furlongs out and set sail for home under Colm O'Donoghue, but Johnny Murtagh gradually wore her down on Moonstone and got there in a desperately tight head-bobbing finish. Andre Fabre's Gagnoa was third.< Bushranger took high rank in the two-year-old division with a superb performance in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes.

David Wachman's colt was always travelling nicely on the outside of the pack and was urged into the lead by Wayne Lordan approaching the furlong marker, where Westphalia was beginning to make significant progress up the rail.

Bushranger (7-2) quickened away in the style of a smart juvenile and comfortably held the odds-on favourite by two and a half lengths to make amends for his narrow defeat when strongly fancied for the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Wachman and Lordan doubled up when Navajo Moon stormed to a second consecutive Listed victory in the Kilboy Estate Stakes.< Bahia Breeze led entering the straight, where Beach Bunny got no sort of a run, but Navajo Moon (12-1) delivered a withering late challenge down the outside to take over and then held off Jalmira by a neck.< Driving Snow stepped up on his promising debut run to land the Jebel Ali Stables & Racecourse EBF (C&G) Maiden for the Kevin Prendergast yard.

Chris Hayes delivered the 7-1 shot with a telling run down the outside in the final furlong to grab debutant Black Bear Island close home for a head victory, with Freemantle putting in his best work at th

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