The previously unbeaten Kodiac filly maintained her 100% record when taking the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs, the highlight of an eight-race Saturday card at flat racing’s headquarters.

Sent off the 5/2 second favourite behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained son of No Nay Never, Whistlejacket (8/13 favourite), Babouche gave Tally Ho Stud stallion Kodiac an eighth individual Group 1 winner.

The Ballydoyle runner, Whistlejacket, in the hands of Ryan Moore was second, one and a half lengths behind the winning filly, with the Adrian Murray-trained, David Egan-ridden 16/1 chance Arizona Blaze coming home third, a length and three-quarters behind the runner-up.

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Winner of the 2023 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the same track during Irish Champions Weekend, the Karl Burke-trained filly was a two and three-quarter length winner over A Lilac Rolla, with Opera Singer next best over the one-mile distance.

Ridden by Danny Tudhope, the daughter of Too Darn Hot only finished eighth in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month.

Elsewhere on the card, the John Murphy-handled White Birch beat his old rival, dual Derby winner, Auguste Rodin, in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup over a mile and two furlongs.

It was a first Group 1 for the Co Cork-trained son of Ulysses who was third in last year’s Epsom Derby to Aidan O’Brien Auguste Rodin.

The Colin Keane-ridden White Birch is now three for three this season, having previously opened his campaign with a success in the Group 3 Alleged Stakes, before then claiming the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes.

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Arguably an unluckly third in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom three weeks ago, the Ralph Beckett-trained colt ran out a seven-length winner of Ireland’s Premier Classic.

In the colours of Juddmonte Farms, the son of Frankel was never seriously challenged inthe 1 mile 4 furlong contest.

Donnacha O’Brien’s Piz Badile (18/1) was runner-up with 16/1 chance French Claim another two lengths back in third.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly Tuesday, supplemented during the week for the race, was a disappointing fourth, a further one and a quarter lengths behind.

Murtagh and Cohen win Gain Railway Stakes

Johnny Murtagh and Ben Cohen teamed up to win the Gain Railways Stakes with Shartash (9/1) for The Aga Khan. The two-year-old son of the Irish National Stud’s Invincible Spirit held off the challenge of the Aidan O’Brien-handled favourite Blackbeard (5/6). Apache Outlaw (22/1) was a further length and a quarter back in third.

Aikhal is impressive

The Group 3 The Arm Holding International Stakes saw Aikhal run out an impressive four and a quarter length winner under Ryan Moore. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the two-year-old son of Galileo beat Dermot Weld’s Duke De Sessa, with Rumbles Of Thunder from the Paddy Toomey yard a further half a length behind in third.

In the opening Dubai Duty Free Dash Stakes (Listed Race), Teresa Mendoza (4/1) went one spot better than her runner-up position in the race last year. The Ken Condon-trained four-year-old, ridden by Billy Lee, got the better of Prisoner’s Dilemma (18/1)by half a length the same distance further back to Power Under Me (15/8f) in third.

The 5/1 shot Night Of Romance was a winner of the Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Handicap for Joseph O’Brien and rider Dylan Browne McMonagle, ahead of the favourite Needle Lace (9/4) and Marbling (5/1).

The Jim Bolger-Kevin Manning partnership was successful with the son of Teofilo, Wexford Native (18/5), in the Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes over a mile. Fourth last time out in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, Wexford Native challenged wide of Ryan Moore on The Acropolis (7/1), who had finished one from last on his most recent outing in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly at the beginning of June. Emphatic Answer (5/1) was third for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle.

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The son of Australia made all in the 1 mile 2 furlong contest under jockey Colin Keane to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a first success in the St-Cloud contest.

Broome had a length in hand on Ebaiyra with Gold Trip third and In Swoop fourth.

Broome finished fourth in the 2019 Investec Derby at Epsom but only managed two runs last season.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Baron Samedi, who was prominent in the early stages, faded late on.

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The grey son of Clodovil was making just his second career racecourse appearance in the five furlong race for two-year-olds, having made an eye-catching winning debut at Naas a week ago.

Entering the final two furlongs, Steel Bull had a wall of horses in front of him but the Irish-trained runner made rapid headway under Keane to move into a challenging position a furlong from home. The eventual winner overhauled the Kevin Ryan-trained 16/1 shot Ben Macdui (Kevin Stott) half a furlong out and went on to score by a comfortable three-quarters of a length. Internationaldream, trained by England-based Irishman Richard Fahey and ridden by Irish-born jockey Paddy Mathers took third at 50/1, a further length and a half behind the second.

The winning handler, Michael O’Callaghan, speaking from his base at The Curragh said:

“Colin was as good as ever – he is top-class and has done a great job on him. Obviously, we have a nice horse on our hands, thank God. We had a little bit of interest in him after winning his maiden but, at the end of the day, it was a five-furlong maiden and he had to go and prove he could do something like that. I don’t own him myself – I am involved with my father and another man called John Fleming.”

Colin Keane who, like O’Callaghan, was having his first Goodwood success, commented:

“Looking at the replay of Steel Bull winning his maiden, he won it very well and when I was talking to Michael beforehand, he was very confident that he would have a lot of speed. He showed a very good turn of foot. He puts his head down and tries very hard. I would imagine he is a horse who is going to keep progressing. I think he would get an extra furlong, because he settles. He is a nice colt.”

The top-class Irish rider continued:

“It was an unknown as to whether he would handle the track, but he’s a very straightforward horse. He handled it very well. I had to wait, but the lads beforehand were very adamant he had a good turn of foot, and that’s what I was hoping and hanging on to, and when I got out, he did have it. When you are on a horse like this, it makes it easy for you. He travelled everywhere and, when I gave him a squeeze, he picked up very well.”

2.45pm Group 3 Markel Insurance Molecomb Stakes 5f

1 Steel Bull – Michael O’Callaghan and Colin Keane 2/1f

2 Ben Macdui – Kevin Ryan and Kevin Stott 16/1

3 Internationaldream – Richard Fahey and Paddy Mathers 50/1

10 ran
Time: 58.59s
Distances: ¾, 1½

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Lordan claimed the opening two contests on Saturday with Serpentine and Buckhurst respectively.

Serpentine (5/2f) broke quickly in the Dubai Duty Free The Irish Village EBF Maiden and established an early five-length advantage, before the son of Galileo went clear to eventually win by a nine length margin for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Buckhurst (13/8f) took the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Creekside Hotel Alleged Stakes for Wayne Lordan and trainer Joseph O’Brien, in what was a disappointing field of three runners. He beat his stable companion Numerian by a length and a half with the race favourite Sir Dragonet from Ballydoyle in third.

Lordan completed his treble in the Group 2 Comer Group International Vintage Crop Stakes, doing it from the front again, as Joseph O’Brien’s Twilight Payment (15/8f) stayed on strongly to take the spoils.

Ancient Spirit (10/3) won the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Celebration Stakes for Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley. The Listed Gain First Flier Stakes went the way of the highly-impressive Frenetic under jockey Colin Keane.

Charles O’Brien and Michael Hussey teamed up to win the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Handicap with Big Gossey (14/1), while Tipperary handler Denis Hogan’s Big Baby Bull (11/1) claimed the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Handicap for Joey Sheridan.

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The opening part of Foley’s brace came when Protagonist (1/1f) claimed his second success in six days as the Michael Buckley-owned Jessica Harrington-trained French-bred took the Download the BoyleSports App Handicap.

Foley later teamed up with Charles O’Brien to take the Follow Fairyhouse On Social Media Handicap (Div II) with Rain Or Shine (8/1). The son of Zoffany came from last to first on the outside of the field to deny Pulsating (13/2) by half a length.

Today’s double for Shane Foley means the Kilkenny rider has won 19 races from 18 fixtures since the resumption of the sport earlier this month. He is now 3 wins ahead of Colin Keane in the jockeys’ title race.

Apprentice Gavin Ryan also rode a brace of winners at the Co. Meath track with both Reverberation (11/1) and Baby Power (5/2f) visiting the winners’ enclosure.

The Tipperary jockey and Reverberation won the Follow Fairyhouse On Social Media Handicap (Div I) with the James Lambe-trained five-year-old gelding achieving a four-length victory, despite having his first outing since Dundalk last March.

Ryan rode the favourite, Baby Power (5/2), in the Thanks To All Our Frontline Workers Handicap over 6 furlongs. When Ryan’s mount hit the front, the filly had to respond tenaciously to Powersville, winning by half a length for Garry Caldwell and his owner-breeder father Bernard.

Jim Bolger, who provided Gavin Ryan with his first winner in the form of Locus Standi at Dundalk in March 2017, was among the winners himself this afternoon as Bolger’s son-in-law Kevin Manning steered Slaney East (7/2) to a battling success in the 1m 2f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, taking a half-length victory.

Another in-form rider, Billy Lee, partnered Paddy Twomey’s Pontchateau (9/1) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for three-year-old colts and geldings over 10 furlongs.

Rachael Blackmore, who will ride in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Saturday, won the first division of the Meath Handicap, as the 3/1f Oromo took the honours for trainer Karl Thornton by a length and a quarter.

Former Galway Plate-winning jockey Kevin Coleman recorded his first winner on native soil as a trainer when Red Vermillon (22/1), under Seán Davis, took the last race of the day, the Meath Handicap (Div II).

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Nickajack Cave (12/1) registered the first win of the day for Keane and Lyons in the Listed Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes as the grey Kendargent gelding made his move three furlongs out, before catching Twilight Payment (15/8f) a furlong and a half from the winning line. The winner had a length and a half to spare at the line.

Heliac (5/2f), in the Siskin colours of Prince Khalid Abdullah, won the Listed Noblesse Stakes, edging ahead of the brave Fresnel at the two furlong pole, eventually winning by a neck, with Loveisthehigherlaw a half-length back in third.

Keane rounded off his weekend in style, when winning aboard Athlumney Hall (12/1) for his father, Gerry, in the Leopardstown Handicap.

Dermot Weld had his first winner since the resumption of racing as he took the opening Leopardstown Fillies Maiden with the daughter of Siyouni, Eldama (2/1f), under Oisín Orr.

Aidan O’Brien produced a smart-looking colt in Napa Valley (11/8f) in the Leopardstown (C&G) Maiden for three-year-olds. A half-brother to former champion two-year-old filly Tiggy Wiggy, the son of Galileo was a three and a quarter lengths victor from Aztec Parade.

Dollar Value (18/1) was brave in winning the Holden Plant Rental Handicap under Niall McCullagh, with the five-year-old making all in the 12-furlong contest for trainer Tom McCourt.

Moll (9/4f) was a winning favourite on her handicap debut and first appearance for trainer Paddy Twomey in the Leopardstown Handicap for three-year-olds. Billy Lee won on the daughter of Camelot, with the rider completing a double when Andy Oliver’s Confidence High (11/8f) won for the second time in five days in the concluding seven-furlong Leopardstown Handicap.

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The unbeaten colt, in the colours of Prince Khalid Abdullah, overcame trouble in running as he found himself behind the leaders, on the rail, as the race was about to unfold.

Jockey Colin Keane kept his cool and showed great patience as he manoeuvred the eventual winner to the outside of the 11-runner field, allowing the son of First Defence show a blistering turn of foot in the closing stages.

Siskin, who had never run over the mile distance of the Guineas before, dispelled all doubts about his ability to stay eight-furlongs, as the 2-1 favourite powered on in the final half-furlong to win with a little in hand.

Vatican City, winner of a Dundalk maiden, was best of the Aidan O’Brien runners in the first Irish Classic of the season, coming home late to clinch the runner-up spot, a length and three-quarters behind the now dual Group 1 winner. Lope Y Fernandez, the more fancied of the Ballydoyle runners was third, another three-quarters of a length behind his stablemate, with another Coolmore-owned colt, Armory, in fourth.

The winning trainer said of today’s success:

“This means everything, it means 30 years’ hard graft for everybody – to win a Guineas was always my number one and hopefully it’s the first of many. That was hard work and full credit to Colin Keane. He was out there on his own today against a football team and him and the horse got it right. The horse is a legend and bailed him out.”

Colin Keane, who like Lyons was winning his first Classic, said of Siskin:

“He is a very straightforward horse. He got me out of trouble when I needed to quicken up, and put the race to bed. He’s a horse of dreams.”

Ger Lyons confirmed that the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas victor will not travel to Royal Ascot next week and suggested the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood as a possible next target.

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