Ace Aussie another smashing juvenile for Harrington

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden saw Ace Aussie (11/5) track the 13/8 favourite Colour Sergeant throughout before hitting the front over a furlong from home.

He kept on well inside the final furlong to beat the market leader fairly readily in the end, with two and a quarter lengths between them, and the Ballydoyle duo Mexico City and Exuma were next home in third and fourth.

The winner, a half-brother to Giuseppe Garibaldi who won a couple for Aidan O’Brien, cost E125,000 at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale and hold an entry in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes later this month.

He’d made a pleasing debut at the Curragh in June when second in a strong maiden won by Hudson River and this was his first appearance since then.

It was quick doubles for Shane Foley and Jessica Harrington after the impressive win of Loch Lein earlier.

Kate Harrington, assistant to winning trainer Jessica Harrington, said: "He’s a gorgeous horse. He has a massive frame and, like the last filly (Loch Lein), whatever he does this year he’s going to be even better next year.

"He’s got entries in Royal Lodge and the Beresford, and if he comes out of this okay he’ll go to one of them, but it will be just one more run this year and then we’ll put him away for next year.

“After he ran he grew on us and we just gave him a break to let him furnish off a bit more. And we had the other horse (Phoenix winner Lucky Vega) and he was in no rush with him.

It’s great to have these really nice horses for Mr Zhang because he puts a lot into the game and it’s great to see him get his due reward.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes