Michael Kinane has taken Bach to victory by half a length in the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh today. The 9-4 second favourite held off the challenge of Jammaal, with the first market choice Exaltation beaten by two lengths into third.
Champion trainer Aidan O'Brien was doubtful whether to risk the four-year-old on the rain-softened ground today, and the horse is unlikely to join stable mate Black Minnaloushe in the line-up for the Juddmonte International at York.
"Bach found a nice bit extra when they came at him. I left him in at York for the international because I wasn't sure he was going to run here at the Curragh if they got the sort of rain we had," O'Brien explained.
"I suppose it's unlikely now that Bach will be going to York, but I'm not ruling him out just yet, until we see how he is in the morning. His joint owner, Satish Sanan, is keen on the million dollar Atto Mile at Woodbine next month, so we will think about the trip to Canada as well," he added.
O'Brien and stable jockey Kinane also took the Group Three Desmond Stakes earlier with Hawkeye, also returned at 9-4, as he scored by a length from stablemate Pebble Island. O'Brien plans to bring him to France in three weeks for the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.
However, O'Brien's and Kinane's hopes of a treble were dashed in the Irish National Stud Debutante Stakes by favourite Saranac Lake, from the Dermot Weld stable, who held on to beat O'Brien's newcomer Quarter Moon by a head.
Champion jockey Pat Smullen, who riskily kicked for home over a furlong out on Saranac Lake, had a much easier task for local trainer Weld on Rum Charger, storming clear of the O'Brien-Kinane newcomer Salentino by seven lengths.
Filed by Greg McKevitt
