Coach House moves through gears

Coach House put in a taking performance in the Listed Marble Hill at the Curragh when beating Club Wexford by a length and three parts. Abbakova showed speed in this small but select field as she blazed a trail in the five furlong contest. However, at the furlong pole she was grabbed by Club Wexford and Coach House.

Joseph O’Brien asked Coach House to go on and the 4/6 favourite readily bounded away to put daylight between himself and Club Wexford (7/2).

Abbakova kept on for third at 16/1 under Pat Smullen, having been 33/1 in the morning.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “We thought he was a nice horse. He won nicely last time. He’s a lovely two-year-old. He has speed enough for five so he has all the options at Royal Ascot.

“Joseph said he showed lots of speed and that he even got there a bit early on him. He’ll maybe get six or seven furlongs in time.”

Owner John Magnier added: “Maybe the five furlong Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot would be a race for him.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Stubbs was also due to contest this race, but was pulled out earlier today due to a stone bruise. This caused a shake-up in the market, but Coach House was still nicely backed down to 4/6.

Coach House improved O’Brien’s record in this race to nine wins from the last 15 renewals.

On his 2,000 Guineas favourite Magician who runs at 3.20pm, Aidan O’Brien said: “He is in good form. He’s a good moving horse. A mile and a quarter on a sharp track at Chester would be equivalent to a mile here.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson