Order Of Australia back on track in the Minstrel Stakes

Order Of Australia set himself up for a crack at all the top mile races this season when giving weight all-round in the Group 2 Romanised Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh.

A shock winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile last autumn, he was sent off the 2/1 favourite for this seven-furlong event and made virtually all under Ryan Moore.

The half-brother to Santa Barbara took control inside the final quarter mile before being driven out inside the final furlong to score by a length and a quarter. Njord kept on best of his six rivals to take the runner-up spot, with Power Under Me a further two and a half lengths back in third.

Aidan O’Brien, who also teamed with Moore to take the opening juvenile maiden with Concert Hall said “His first run this year at Ascot was just a bit of a mess as they jumped out and they hacked. It was the first time we decided to sit him in being his first run of the year.

“He has plenty of speed and he’s able to quicken. Ryan was happy going out if someone wanted to give him a lead and if not he was happy to make his own running. He is very straight forward.

“He’s made like a sprinter/miler — at halfway he really started to turn it on and Ryan gave him a good ride.

“He’s a horse that takes his racing well so we were thinking of coming here and then going for the Sussex Stakes. He has plenty of speed and gets a mile well.

“He’s a horse to look forward to and can go to America later in the year and maybe races after that as well.”

Paddy Power and Betfair both cut Order Of Australia into 7/1 (from 12/1) for the Sussex Stakes.