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Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

Aidan O'Brien completes Naas treble

Sat 13th Apr 2019, 18:02

South Pacific (nearest) and BarbadosSouth Pacific (nearest) and Barbados
© Photo Healy Racing

Champion Trainer Aidan O'Brien completed a treble at Naas today as his South Pacific scored a short-head success over stablemate Barbados in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

O'Brien's earlier winners, debutante Monarch Of Egypt and last year's Group 1 heroine Magical were both ridden by Ryan Moore but it was the trainer's son Donnacha O'Brien who scuppered Moore's treble as he steered South Pacific to win.

Jockey O'Brien had previously received a heavy fall from South Pacific at Leopardstown a week ago, as the colt was brought down in a nasty incident as the runners approached the road-crossing. However the pair bounced back in style today as they eventually edged past pace-setting Barbados, who provided a persistent challenge to the line.

Trainer O'Brien later said “we like both horses. Ryan’s horse was still a bit green and Donnacha’s horse likes a lead.

“It was nice for Donnacha to get a winner on him after the fall (at Leopardstown last Saturday). He can go back to a handicap and Donnacha thinks that he might get a mile and a half.

“They went a good gallop, and going further would leave him with more options.”

Quotes from Alan Magee

1st
1/1Fav
Tote €2.00 €1.02
2nd
shd
15/8
€1.20
3rd
2.5L
50/1
€9.00
4th
4.25L
12/1
About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.