Black Minnaloushe gave all-conquering Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien yet another big race triumph when sweeping to a thrilling last-gasp victory on Tuesday in the St James's Palace Stakes, the star attraction on the opening day of the Royal Ascot racing extravaganza.
"He is a serious horse I'd say," O'Brien told reporters after Black Minnaloushe, an 8-1 shot ridden by group one superstar Johnny Murtagh, won by a neck and a head from French 2,000 Guineas winner Noverre and Olden Times.
Luck certainly was on Murtagh's side as he got up on the line on the fast improving Irish 2,000 Guineas winner after being blocked in his challenge in the last half furlong.
"When I switched him out, I knew he was going to win," Murtagh said after another thrilling big race victory for the jockey who landed 12 group one races last year and had already claimed the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Black Minnaloushe.
But the result was a blow for O'Brien's stable jockey Michael Kinane. He stayed faithful to Minardi who disappointed behind Black Minnaloushe in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and did so again on Tuesday, finishing eighth. O'Brien felt Minardi had been unlucky in the Guineas and asked Kinane to stay on board. "He's a great team man," said the trainer.
Kinane was on the wrong one again in the last race of the day when O'Brien's Landseer, ridden by Jamie Spencer, sprang a 20-1 surprise in the Coventry Stakes with Kinane down the field on the better-fancied Rock of Gibraltar.
Murtagh, singing the praises of Black Minnaloushe, said: "This was a top class race and a top class horse." And few would dispute that as he ousted French 2,000 Guineas winner Noverre in the "Boys in Blue" colours of Dubai's all-conquering Godolphin stable.
Kieren Fallon and trainer Michael Stoute started the meeting in dream fashion with Medicean (11-2) who helped the stable to forget a string of hard luck stories.
Petrushka, hailed by Stoute as the best filly he has ever trained, had to be retired because of injury, stable star Golan was beaten by Galileo in the Epsom Derby and Queen Elizabeth's Flight of Fancy was desperately unlucky in the Epsom Oaks when runner-up to Imagine.
But Medicean put the smile back on Stoute's face with a comfortable one-length victory over Swallow Flight and Arkadian Hero in the opening Queen Anne Stakes.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
