Great Explorer navigates his way home

Great Explorer made every yard in the mile and a quarter handicap at Leopardstown and gamely answered Joseph O’Brien’s urgings to fend off Minister Of Mayhem

The three-year-old son of Galileo, in the first-time blinkers, had to carry 10-2, but this didn’t deter punters in Foxrock who sent him off the 5/6 favourite to follow up on his Fairyhouse maiden success eight days ago.

Jim Bolger’s Midfield General steeping up in trip, tried to make a race of it as he stalked the winner in second. However, he faded with two furlongs to go and it was left to Minister Of Mayhem (5/1) to pick up the challenge.

Colin Keane steered him out from the rail and in the final furlong he started to close on Great Explorer. O’Brien though had enough in the tank to win all out by half a length.

Aidan O’Brien trains Great Explorer and he commented: “He’s a tough hardy horse and he kept going. He’ll go for another one of those somewhere.”

In-form O’Brien has now trained 12 winners in the last two weeks. Joseph O’Brien has ridden nine winners in the same period.

“He toughed it out and hopefully he might get a bit further,” Joseph O’Brien added.

Blinkers were sported today and they replaced cheekpieces from his win at Fairyhouse. Street Party put in his best race yet when coming in third of the six runners, beaten two lengths in total.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson