Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- irishracing.com
- Cheltenham
- News
- Australia justifies odds-on favouritism
Donal Murphy
Australia justifies odds-on favouritism
Australia is driven out by Joseph O'Brien to beat the grey Carla Bianca
© Photo Healy Racing
After finishing an unlucky runner-up on his debut over the course and distance last month, Australia got it right on the second time of asking as he took the opener at the Curragh this afternoon, the Darley EBF Maiden.
The bay colt, who is by Galileo and out of the brilliant Ouija Board, was very slow away on his debut but flew home in the closing stages to finish just a neck behind Renaissance Art.
Sent off the 3/10 favourite to make amends today, he was soon settled in second. He was sent to the front by Joseph O’Brien at the two furlong pole and he was driven out from there to score by three parts of a length.
Newcomer Carla Bianca ran a cracker under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld. The grey daughter of Dansili made the winner work all the way to the line, finishing a gallant second at 14/1.
The other Ballydoyle representative, Juniper Tree (who is a son of five time Group 1 winner Alexander Goldrun), kept on well to take third, five lengths back under Seamie Heffernan at 10/1.
Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said afterwards: "He is still very babyish. He was slow away again and he seems to go asleep in the stalls.
"We will take our time with him. He could be anything as the penny hasn’t really dropped with him yet. He has a lot of talent."
Boylesports have introduced the winner at 20/1 in the betting for the 2014 Epsom Derby.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee