Content put her experience to good use in reversing form with Kitty Rose in the Curragh's Staffordstown Stud Stakes.
Natalia Lupini's big-race favourite was two and a half lengths clear of Content when maintaining her unbeaten record at Leopardstown last month, but reopposing over a mile in this Group Three contest, it was Aidan O'Brien's daughter of Galileo who came to the fore.
Sent off an unfancied 20-1 in the hands of Chris Hayes, Content cruised into the race stylishly from a patient start and entering the final furlong looked well placed to hunt down Kitty Rose, who was making a bold bid on the front end.
Content bounces back to form as the Galileo filly strikes at 20/1 for Aidan O'Brien and @chrishayes24 in the Group 3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes pic.twitter.com/j160BqncN4
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) October 7, 2023
Content was soon matching strides with the 11-10 market leader and had enough in reserve to cruise two and a half lengths clear at the line, earning a 33-1 from 100-1 quote from Betfair for next year's 1000 Guineas.
"It was a nice spare to get," said Hayes, who has won on two of his three rides for O'Brien.
"She's obviously well bred and if you ignored her last run and came straight here from Champions Weekend she had to have a chance.
"She rolled around a little bit late on, but it's holding ground and we were after going an even tempo.
"Aidan wanted to teach her so it was important to get cover and a smooth run. I think she will improve and she won snug in the end."
Shoda Market Cafe Irish EBF maiden winners is Illinois 🤩🐎
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) October 7, 2023
Trainer by Aidan O'Brien and ridden by Seamie Haffernan 👏🏻👏🏻 Congratulations to all winning connections 🤩 pic.twitter.com/65PkG2jABw
Illinois could have a bright future after making a taking introduction in the Shoda Market Cafe Irish EBF Maiden.
Aidan O'Brien’s son of Galileo is a half-brother to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe champion Danedream as well as being a full-brother to Chester Vase scorer Venice Beach, although even with that bloodline he was relatively easy to back in going off at 4-1 for his first start.
He produced a professional performance in the hands of Seamie Heffernan and once easily making his way to the head of proceedings two furlongs from home, kept on stoutly in the closing stages for a three-length success.
Having advertised his potential over nine furlongs here, Betfair introduced the smart-looking colt at 20-1 for next year’s Derby.
An impressed Heffernan said: "He’s a beautiful colt. There’s not too many that you go down past the two and a half and they say 'point me’. I actually got there a little sooner because I thought he’d take a bit of stoking.
"He has a lot going for him – pedigree, scope, size, action, wind. He’s pretty much a steering job and I’m going to miss these Galileo’s."
Aussie Girl gets her deserved turn in the Listed @DarleyStallions @IrishEBF_ Brigid's Pastures Stakes in her fine campaign for @Stack_Racing 👏 pic.twitter.com/TASGGOFXFi
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) October 7, 2023
There was a deserved victory for Fozzy Stack’s Aussie Girl in the Darley Irish EBF Brigid’s Pastures Stakes as the daughter of Starspangledbanner struck at Listed level for the first time.
On the premises in all four outings since victorious at the track in the summer, the consistent three-year-old was sent off the 9-4 favourite to return to winning ways and made all to deny William Haggas’ raider Pinafore in the hands of Colin Keane.
"She probably deserved that as she has been very consistent in Listed and Group company and she handles those conditions well," said the winning rider.
"She jumps, she travels and she’s tough.
"Fozzy said not to interfere with her. She usually jumps smart and he said to let her dictate on her own terms. I put my hands down, sat on her as long as I could and she picked up again in the last furlong.
"She’s a filly that should only improve with time. She is a big filly, handles those conditions well and is very tough and genuine."
