Los Angeles grinds out victory from White Birch

A review of the Bank Holiday Monday action from the Curragh as Los Angeles made a successful return to action in the Mooresbridge.

Los Angeles beats White Birch

Last year’s Irish Derby hero Los Angeles (10/11 favourite) made a winning start to his four-year-old campaign with a game performance in the Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Irish European Breeders Fund Mooresbridge Stakes.

Heavily backed for the Group 2 over 10 furlongs, Aidan O’Brien’s representative was facing up to last year’s Mooresbridge winner White Birch and the big two in the betting had the race between them after Los Angeles took it up from front-running Galen (3/1) just over a furlong from home.

White Birch followed the winner and laid down a stern challenge inside the last but Los Angeles was tenacious in front and held on by neck, with Trustyourinstinct (11/1) two and a half lengths back in third.

O’Brien told Racing TV: “I’m delighted to get him started and a mile-and-a-quarter was lovely. Joseph’s horse went an even gallop in front of him so it was a nicely-run race. Obviously White Birch was going to follow him and is a classy horse so he had to be at a certain level to beat John’s horse so we were delighted.

“When he gets there he’s a bit idle and waits but Ryan was very happy with him today and when we pressed him straight away with a few questions he was very happy so it was good to get him started.

“He’s a big deep horse, he has big hips and a big tummy on him, he’s deep girthed and will always look big no matter what but he was only ready to start and the plan was to come here and maybe come back for the Tattersalls (Gold Cup) and if that went well he could maybe go for the Prince Of Wales’s and if that went well you could have a look at the King George.

“Then a little break and he could maybe come back here for the Royal Whip before the Arc or something like that, they were all the things we were thinking of if everything is working out perfectly. It’s one step at a time but I’m delighted to get that over with today.”

The trainer believes the colt has improved from three to four.

“There’s no doubt he’s a good bit better. That was a high class run. John’s horse is a very good horse. I remember meeting him a few times last year and he’d put manners on you unless you were in a real good place,” he added.

“We were very happy. It was a very classy run.”

Rest of the action

Earlier on, O’Brien’s Officer attracted antepost attention for the St James’s Palace by after winning the Coolmore Stud Henry Longfellow Irish EBF Tetrarch Stakes.

The son of Dubawi, a Curragh maiden winner in August before returning with a one-length third in the Gladness Stakes, was tucked in early on from stall one and held up in the middle of the eight-runner field as Wannabe Royal took them along.

Currawood (11/4) moved to the front menacingly with two and a half furlongs to go but Moore had switched Officer out for a clear run down the outside and the 10/11 favourite picked up stylishly to win by a length and three-quarters and something to spare. There was the same distance back to third home Alakazi (9/2).

O’Brien said on Racing TV: “He had a lovely run in the Gladness on soft-ish ground and came forward nicely, he’s a lovely, genuine quick horse. Ryan said he quickened very well but he could even get further.

“You’d have to be very happy, obviously he’s a Dubawi and has a very good pedigree. I think the plan is to come back here and the Irish Guineas, we’ll have to see after that. Ryan said he’s very relaxed and quickens very well.

“He learnt plenty, they went an even gallop and Ryan tucked him in there and took him through. It all worked out lovely.

“When he got there in front, his tail started rising and that usually means they have plenty left. Ryan said he didn’t want to give him a tap or anything as he could have been very green if doing that.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Andab (8/1) won the opening Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden, while the Ger Lyons-trained Lady Iman cruised home under Colin Keane to beat True Love and justify 4/7 favouritism in the Listed Holden Plant Rentals First Flier Stakes.

A third member of the O’Brien family also saddled a winner on Monday as Atsila, in the care of Donnacha O’Brien, kept up her unbeaten record in the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Auguste Rodin Irish EBF Athasi Stakes (replay below).

Los Angeles grinds out victory from White Birch

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