High Definition beating Monaasib in the Beresford Stakes© Photo Healy Racing
Aidan O’Brien’s domination of the Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes continued at the Curragh this afternoon as the master of Ballydoyle saddled his twentieth winner of the Group 2 with High Definition
The Galileo full-brother to Innisfree, who also won this mile event 12 months ago, finished strongly to win on debut here in August but came from what appeared an almost impossible position to follow up here.
Seamie Heffernan ’s mount had most of his 12 rivals ahead of him when pushed along at the two furlong pole and still had a mountain to climb over a furlong out.
However, such was the powerful surge that the 9/5 favourite conjured up in the closing stages that he actually won a shade cosy by three quarters of a length at the line. Monaasib looked all over the winner until pegged back in the closing stages, with the front-running Snapraeterea three lengths back in third.
O’Brien said, “He’s lovely and puts away a lot of ground. He’s a big rangy horse with a massive big stride and is one to really look forward to.
“It was the same in his maiden you would say he’s not going to get there and in the end he’s won easily.
“I’d say we’ll put him away now. He could start in a Guineas and he looks like he’ll be a middle-distance horse.
“I was a bit worried about the bend as he’s never been around one before.”
High Definition is now clear favourite for next year's Derby with the likes of Paddy Power, Betfair, BoyleSports and Bet365 all going 10/1.
