Minding and Ryan Moore win from Moonlight Magic © Photo Healy Racing
Minding returned in fine form at Naas this afternoon as last year's 'Horse of the Year' claimed the Group 2 Camelot Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes with the minimum of fuss.
Ryan Moore bounced out in front on the 1/3 shot in the ten furlong contest and the result never looked in doubt.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained filly was asked to quicken away from her three rivals going to the furlong marker and soon settled matters.
She kept on strongly in the closing stages to post a cosy three-and-a-half length victory under 'hands and heels' riding. Moonlight Magic claimed the runner-up spot in the €130,000 contest without ever looking a real threat to the champion filly.
“We're delighted to get her started back, it's nice to get her going again,” said O'Brien.
“She has the options of the Tattersalls or the Lockinge in Newbury . We'll probably be looking at the Tattersalls, I'd imagine that's where we'll go.
“We'll take it one at a time but we'd be thinking of the Prince Of Wales at Ascot then.
“She's a great filly and what she done last year was incredible. To go right back to a mile at the end, it's very rare a horse can do that over a mile, a mile-and-a-quarter and a mile-and-a-half. She's very enthusiastic.
“Ryan was very happy with her.
“She's done well physically and has changed into a four-year-old. When she was a two-year-old she looked like a two-year-old and then she looked like a three-year-old but sometimes horses going from three to four don't look like four-year-olds but she has changed.”
Minding was given a quote of 2/1 for the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot by Boylesports while she remains the same price for that race with Paddy Power.
