The Euphrates brought up a remarkable four-timer for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore at the Curragh on Sunday.
After sitting close to the pace throughout, the well-backed 7/2 favourite held on by half a length from A Piece Of Heaven to win the Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch and round out a fine day for the Ballydoyle outfit.
O'Brien said on Racing TV: "Ryan gave him a great ride. He was fourth in a Leger and was very well in for a three-year-old.
"He's had a tough campaign and he was drawn very wide but it was unusual for a three-year-old to make a campaign like that then put up a run like that at the end.
"He's probably done enough for this year and we'll leave him alone for next year, but he looks like a horse that'll be a quality stayer next year."
O’Brien ruled The Euphrates out of the Melbourne Cup, with St Leger scorer Jan Brueghel set to carry the stable hopes in Flemington.
They had earlier struck with classy two-year-old filly Heavens Gate in the Group 3 Weld Park Stakes. The daughter of Frankel was bouncing back to top form after finishing fourth in the Sky Bet Lowther at York and dug deep to beat Fiery Lucy (8/1) by a neck, with 9/4 chance Barnavara back in third.
"Ryan thinks that she’ll get a mile, riding her patiently," O'Brien said of Heavens Gate. "He said she quickened well and waited when she got there. He was very happy with her.
“She deserved that, she’s after having two very big runs.”
When asked if the Breeders’ Cup could be on the agenda for later in the autumn, O’Brien added: “It’s very possible. Round the bends, loads of speed, that’s what you need."
The red-hot O'Brien and Moore, who tasted Group 1 glory at Newmarket on Saturday courtesy of Lake Victoria in the Cheveley Park Stakes, also won the Trainor Stone And Tile Irish European Breeders Fund Maiden with Shackleton (2/5 favourite) and the Fitzpatricks Mercedes-Benz Irish European Breeders Fund Maiden through 5/6 favourite Aftermath.
O'Brien said of Shackleton: "We’re delighted with him. We were disappointed he got beat the last day but obviously Joseph’s (O’Brien) horse (Tennessee Stud) ran a big race in the Beresford yesterday.
“Ryan was happy today, he went forward and kept it simple. He said he was very green, that it was a very strong headwind and it wasn’t easy out there.
“He said he was idling and it probably wasn’t the way to ride him ideally. He’s a horse that will get a trip and we could look at the mile-and-a-quarter race in Saint-Cloud for him.”
Aftermath was trimmed to 33/1 (from 50s) for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster next month, while Heavens Gate was left unchanged at 20/1 for next month's Fillies' Mile.
“We’re delighted with Aftermath. He had a lovely run first time in Newbury, he was very green and got left by himself,” added O’Brien.
“He ran a lovely race in Doncaster, he’s a lovely horse. A big horse to look forward to for next year. That was only seven and he’ll have no problem getting a mile or a mile and a quarter even next year. He’s a fine, big horse.”
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
