A horse purchased for a massive €1.8million made a winning debut at the Curragh on Friday evening.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Ylang Ylang was sent off the 8/13 favourite for a seven-furlong fillies maiden and came home two and three-quarter lengths ahead of the rest of the field under Ryan Moore.
The daughter of Frankel was bought for 1.5million guineas as a yearling, which is the equivalent of around €1.8million, and was too good for the 11 unraced rivals she faced at the Co Kildare venue as the Irish Derby meeting got under way.
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She quickened away in impressive fashion and could be anything going forward, with Paddy Power cutting her odds to 10/1 from 14s for next year's 1,000 Guineas. She had been as big as 25/1 for the 2024 classic on Friday morning.
Ylang Ylang was the second winner for O'Brien and Moore on the evening as they landed a 51/1 treble after an earlier victory for Mountain Bear (4/1) in a six-furlong maiden before The Black Tiger (11/2) landed the final race on the card, a 1m2f maiden.
The pair have a number of fancied runners at the Curragh over Saturday and Sunday, including Auguste Rodin as he aims to do the English-Irish Derby double, a feat last achieved by Dermot Weld’s Harzand in 2016.
While O'Brien is seeking a remarkable 15th victory in the Irish Derby – and his 100th European Classic in total, the race is one of the few top-level prizes that has so far eluded Moore.
“His chance is obvious, as his price suggests, but there are few certainties in racing,” Moore told Betfair.
“I am sure the connections of the Epsom third and fourth, White Birch and Sprewell, will fancy their chances of at least getting closer to us on this more conventional track. And who is to say they won’t. Different day, different course, different result maybe.
“But everyone saw the real Auguste Rodin in the Derby, stepped up to a trip more in keeping with his superb pedigree, and everyone has seen how strong the form is with King Of Steel and Waipiro coming out and winning at Ascot
“If he runs up to the level of his form at Epsom, something is going to have improve markedly to beat him.”
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