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Los Angeles scores on seasonal reappearance at the Curragh

Updated / Monday, 5 May 2025 17:33
Los Angeles repels the late thrust of White Birch in the feature
Los Angeles repels the late thrust of White Birch in the feature

Los Angeles narrowly denied White Birch after a thrilling tussle for the Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh.

Last year's Irish Derby winner and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe third Los Angeles was a 10-11 favourite for his four-year-old debut under Ryan Moore, with White Birch an easy to back 3-1 shot on his first appearance since winning the Tattersalls Gold Cup nearly 12 months ago.

Los Angeles took over from the pacesetting Alleged Stakes winner Galen approaching the final furlong and while White Birch threw down his challenge shortly after, he could never quite get on terms, with a neck separating the top-class duo at the line.

O’Brien said: "We’re delighted with him. He’s a lovely, big, honest horse. When he gets there he doesn’t do much but that’s always been him.

"The plan would be to come back here for the Tattersalls (Gold Cup) and if that went well then he would go to Royal Ascot for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Then we could have a look at the King George and then he could have a break and then we’d give him a prep for the Arc.

"You can see that he’s still as big as a bull – he’s a big, powerful horse.

"We don’t want to go too long (far) until we have to, we’ll keep him sharp for when he goes up to a mile and a half. If he goes to the King George he’ll want to be sharp and then he’d have a prep for the Arc, maybe back here in the Royal Whip."

Los Angeles did show some reluctance to go through the rails on his way to start, with O’Brien adding: "He’s a big, four-year-old colt and he knows how big he is. He’d be very happy to walk over you rather than walk around you! That’s the way he is.

"He hates hanging around but he doesn’t even break sweat. He’s like a big child that didn’t get manners put on him when he was young and then when he got too big, it was too late!"

Atsila enhanced her reputation with victory in the Coolmore Stud Auguste Rodin Irish EBF Athasi Stakes.

Donnacha O'Brien’s filly faced a steep rise in class for the Group Three contest following a winning debut at Bellewstown a month ago and was priced up accordingly at 11-1.

The daughter of Phoenix Of Spain proved up to the task though, finishing the one-mile contest strongly under Gavin Ryan to prevail by half a length from Cercene, with Barnavara and California Dreamer not far behind in third and fourth respectively.

O'Brien said: "She’s lazy at home so you don’t really know you have her. We gave her a run in Bellewstown and she bolted up from a position she shouldn’t have.

"We said we’d throw her in the deep end here and she’s coped with that as well, so she’s obviously a very solid filly.

"They went hard, there were no hiding places, she travelled well. She got a little bit tight for room as well, if she had a clear run she might have won a bit further.

"She just looks like she’s a good filly."

Atsila looks set for an immediate step up to Group One level, with O’Brien adding: "I spoke to Barry (Fowler, owner) last week about putting her in the Coronation Stakes. I talked him out of it and obviously shouldn’t have.

"We’ll see how she comes out of it. If she comes out of it very well, Barry mentioned that we could supplement for the Irish Guineas or something like that.

"All you can do from now is go up in class and see where her level is. She’s two from two and she’s earned a shot at a good race."

Officer is likely to be part of Aidan O'Brien’s Irish 2,000 Guineas team following a clear-cut victory in the.

A winner at the track on his sole juvenile start last summer, the Dubawi colt finished third in the Gladness Stakes on his reappearance in late March and was a 10-11 favourite to strike Listed gold at the second attempt.

Always travelling well under Ryan Moore, Officer saw out the one-mile trip strongly to prevail by a length and three-quarters and a shot at Classic glory over the same course and distance looms large.

"We’re delighted with him. He had a lovely run first time back in the Gladness and he won very nicely here as a two-year-old," said O’Brien.

"Ryan was very happy with him. He was delighted that they went a good gallop and he said he learned plenty about him.

"I’d think the Irish Guineas looks perfect for him."

Lady Iman followed up her successful Dundalk debut with an impressive display in the Holden Plant Rentals First Flier Stakes.

The Ger Lyons-trained filly bolted up on her all-weather introduction in late March and took the step up to Listed class in her stride, accelerating smartly under hand driving from Colin Keane to secure victory by a length and a quarter.

Lyons said: "She’s a lovely filly, Colin was very impressed with her.

"At this minute I’m still thinking of Naas (Group Three Juvenile Fillies Sprint Stakes). I’ll sleep on it and talk to Colin about it but I’ve no problem with her getting six furlongs, but she has plenty of speed and will learn plenty from that.

"I’ve never taken this filly off the bridle so I don’t know what the limit is with her. She’s very smart and Colin mentioned Babouche there, so if she’s mentioned in the same sentence as her as a two-year-old, that’ll do me."

Andab made an fine start to his career for Joseph O’Brien in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden.

A 290,000 guineas yearling purchase and a full-brother to Breeders’ Cup winner Victoria Road, the 8-1 shot picked up well in the Al Shaqab Racing silks to score by four and three-quarter lengths under Dylan Browne McMonagle.

"It was a smart performance. I’d be lying if I said we thought that he would win, he’s always been a little wayward mentally and we just wanted to get a start into him," said O’Brien.

"You’d have to be very impressed with the fashion he won and the professionalism that he showed and the obvious thing to do is to come back for the Marble Hill.

"The dream would be that he might be a Coventry horse."

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