Puppet Master led home a one-two for trainer Aidan O’Brien in the William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes.

The son of Camelot further strengthened the hand of Ballydoyle team for the Betfred Derby next month when supplying the trainer with a seventh win in the Listed event after getting the better of an entertaining late tussle with stablemate Stay True.

After finishing fourth in the Ballysax Stakes,form that was given a boost by the runner-up Lambourn winner the Chester Vase on Wednesday, on his return to action at Leopardstown the 4-5 favourite took a significant step forward from that effort to get back to winning ways.

As the field swung into the home straight in the extended one mile three furlong contest it looked as though the O’Brien-trained pair were set to have a real fight on their hands with Nightime Dancer, from the Richard Hannon yard, looking a serious threat.

However, as his challenge came to an end it was left to the Ballydoyle inmates to scrap it out, and although Stay True looked as though he was going to get the better of the battle Puppet Master was not to be denied with Moore getting his mount up by a short-head.

Moore said: “We fancied him in the Royal Lodge last year, but he didn’t quite run his race that day. He had a nice run in the Leopardstown race. That experience and that run probably put him in good stead today, but they are two good horses. The only thing that swung it was experience with the other horse. They are two good horses to look forward to.”

Following the race, Puppet Master was halved in price to 25/1 for the Derby by Paddy Power and Betfair and the racecould now be on the agenda according to the owner’s representative Paul Smith.

He said: “They are two lovely horses that hit the line hard so they get the trip well. They will have learnt a lot from the race and I’m delighted with them both. Puppet Master relaxed well. He is quite an uncomplicated horse and Ryan was very happy with him. As for the other one he is in the mix for the big races going forward.

“I think the deciding factor (as to what horse Ryan rode) was experience as Stay True only had the one run, but he knew he had talent too. It probably wasn’t a simple decision, but it was the right decision. I was happy with both horses as the further they went the further they went away from the third.

“We will see what happens in Ireland on Sunday and with The Lion In Winter at York (in the Dante). There are other possibilities like the Irish Derby and races at Royal Ascot so we can spread them around.”

A clash between the two stablemates could be on between the pair again with Smith not ruling out a trip to Epsom Downs for Stay True as well.

He added: “Richard (Kingscote) was very happy with him. He is still a big baby and that was only his second run as he didn’t run as a two-year-old. He will come on a lot for it. He hit the line very well and he will get a trip nicely so all routes point for a Derby for him as well.”

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