Marvellous and Ryan Moore beating Lightning Thunder© Photo Healy Racing
Marvellous swooped inside the final furlong to run out an impressive winner of the Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh this afternoon.
Ryan Moore sat out the back in the early stages on the Galileo filly and she ran on strongly in the closing stages to claim the classic from 10/3 favourite Lightning Thunder Wonderfully set the pace up the straight mile but gave way over two furlongs out as Avenue Gabriel hit the front.
Lightning Thunder, runner-up at Newmarket, was produced to win her race over a furlong out but couldn't hold the late charge of 10/1 shot Marvellous.
Moore hit the front inside the final 150 yards and his mount soon stretched clear, despite drifting slightly right, to record a comprehensive three-length winning margin.
Vote Often who had raced prominently throughout, was four-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
Marvellous was making just her third career start. She had won over her debut at Navan last year and had been sixth behind stable-mate Bracelet in the Leopardstown Guineas trial in late March.
“The plan was to come here and then go to Epsom. Obviously the boys will decide what they want to do now,” said O'Brien.
“She's a filly we always thought would stay well. Joseph had to decide between her and Palace and obviously at declaration time the ground was much better.
“Seamus was always a big fan of this filly. Obviously the ground turned the way it was but what could we do. We wanted to run and weren't going to take them out.
“She had form on easy ground, winning her maiden on it, and ran very well at Leopardstown the day Seamus rode her.
“I'm delighted. She's a very well-bred filly – by Galileo. She got a good clear run. Seamus went a good gallop up front, Ryan just let her warm into it and she came home very well. She's a very nice filly.
“I'd imagine she'll definitely get 1m2f the way she went to the line today. Obviously 1m4f is another step into the unknown but it looked very positive.
“She's a sharp filly but when she gets to half-speed she gets lazy. She'll cruise away forever and is happy to do that.
“Ryan said if he was going to ride one he'd like to ride one that had a chance of going to Epsom so he would know her.”
Moore added: “It was only the third run of her life and she was still a bit babyish early in the race but when I got stuck into her she found plenty and lengthened really well at the end.”
Palace, who looked the stable's first choice, finished fifth Aidan O'Brien commented: “The ground went against Palace and we knew that but wanted to run her. She'll stay much further and wants much better ground.”
It was a first victory in the Irish 1,000 Guineas for Ryan Moore and the 30th Irish classic success for trainer Aidan O'Brien.
The winner was given a quote of 7/1 for the Epsom Oaks by Ladbrokes while Paddy Power cut her to 10/1 from 20/1 for the race.
(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
