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Moore & O'Brien double-up with Cliffs

Cliffs Of Dooneen and Ryan Moore pictured on their way to victoryCliffs Of Dooneen and Ryan Moore pictured on their way to victory
© Photo Healy Racing

Despite sweating up considerably beforehand, Cliffs Of Dooneen made it two from two in the two mile Killashee Handicap, providing Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore with a double on the card.

Successful on debut at Bellewstown earlier this month, the chestnut son of Galileo was expected to follow-up this afternoon, going off the 5/4 favourite.

Having raced mainly in fourth, he was switched to the outer on the approach to the straight, and was ridden to challenge in third with two furlongs left to race.

He edged to the front from the furlong pole, and kept on well from there to score by a length. She's A Star kept on well to take second under Colin Keane for Noel Meade at 3/1, while Shadagann (20/1) was another three parts of a length back in third.

"He stays well obviously. Ryan felt there was plenty in there. He said from the two he thought he was going to win," said O'Brien.

"He had a few little setbacks, nothing major, and he's a big horse so maybe was a little weak.

"He's a brother to a horse we had Triplicate, he's a well-bred horse.

"Those staying type races will be what we're looking at and he could develop into a cup horse. Anything from mile-and-a-half to two miles is probably for him."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.