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Aidan O'Brien has used the seven-furlong fillies' maiden at the Curragh's Irish Derby Festival as the launchpad for some excellent prospects down the years, with the likes of Alice Springs, Rhododendron, Tuesday and Ylang Ylang all starting out in the race, while subsequent 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner Love also ran in the contest but had the benefit of a run under her belt.
O'Brien had a couple of representatives this year but Lake Victoria, ridden by Ryan Moore, was the pick on jockey bookings and she made a winning start to identify herself as another fine prospect for her trainer in the fillies' juvenile division.
Bedtime Story (116p) and Fairy Godmother (112p) earned much higher figures when winning in better company at Royal Ascot, but Lake Victoria, a daughter of Frankel out of Group 1-winning mare Quiet Reflection, ran to a high enough level on debut to suggest that she'll be up to making her mark at Group level if progressing as anticipated.
The turn of foot she showed to quicken clear over a furlong out was especially pleasing, and although she only held on by a head from the fast-finishing Red Letter, the runner-up looks a fine prospect herself and was three and three-quarter lengths clear of the third.
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Jan Brueghel had created a big impression when storming eight lengths clear in a mile-and-a-quarter maiden at the Curragh on debut and he backed that up by coping with the rise in class to win the Group 3 International Stakes over the same course and distance on Saturday.
Jan Brueghel still didn't look like the finished article as he was pushed along half a mile out and hung to his right shortly after turning for home. However, he's clearly blessed with a good deal of ability and stamina as he kept on strongly to lead 50 yards out and win by a neck, showing a smart level of form on just his second start.
He's a brother to Irish Derby winner Sovereign, while last year another of his siblings, Dawn Rising, won the longest Flat race in the calendar, the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot, so it would be little surprise to see Jan Brueghel further raise his game when upped in trip.
He'd need to improve in the region of 10 lb win a typical edition of the St Leger, which was mooted as a potential target following his win at the Curragh, but in addition to benefiting from a longer trip he's likely to carry on progressing as he matures both physically and mentally. He's an exciting prospect.
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Kinross wasn't quite at his best on his return in the Chipchase Stakes but he still produced a smart performance and it took a career-best effort from a lightly-raced sprinter in Montassib to beat him.
Montassib had been campaigned over seven furlongs for much of his career but he signed off last season with a win in a competitive six-furlong handicap at York and he has shown his effectiveness as a sprinter this term.
After winning on testing ground on his return at Doncaster, he seemed to find the sound surface on the Knavesmire placing too much emphasis on speed in the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes. But on a stiffer track, and in a race run at an end-to-end gallop, he stayed on strongly to lead close home and win by three-quarters of a length. He's rated only 2 lb lower than Royal Ascot winner Khaadem so will be worth a shot at a Group 1 sprint.
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Henri Matisse was seemingly the stable's second choice in the Railway Stakes - Ryan Moore was aboard Tunbridge Wells - but he had overcome inexperience to make a winning debut in a six-furlong maiden at the Curragh in May and he showed-much improved form to follow up over the same course and distance on Sunday.
Henri Matisse took a bit of time to hit top gear but he came through well inside the final furlong and ultimately scored a shade cosily by half a length from The Strikin Viking, with the runner-up three and a quarter lengths clear of the third.
That performance earned Henri Matisse a Timeform rating of 110p, which is the highest achieved by a two-year-old colt so far this season, though Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemates Bedtime Story (116p) and Fairy Godmother (112p) have earned higher among the fillies.
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Los Angeles had finished a place behind Ambiente Friendly when third in the Derby at Epsom but he raised his game slightly to reverse that form and land the Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.
Ambiente Friendly moved upsides travelling best early in the straight but Los Angeles showed plenty of determination and stamina to see off his old rival, ultimately getting the verdict by three-quarters of a length from the fast-finishing Sunway who took the runner-up spot close home.
His new rating of 120p places him behind only City of Troy (127p), Calandagan (123p) and Economics (121p) among the middle-distance three-year-olds and identifies him as the one to beat in the St Leger, especially as the step up in trip promises to suit.
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