Age Of Kings claims cosy success at the Curragh

Big-money buy strikes for Aidan O’Brien.

Age Of Kings emerged as another possible Royal Ascot contender for Aidan O’Brien as he got off the mark at the second time of asking at the Curragh.

A 1.1million guineas purchase last autumn, the son of Kingman was beaten a nose in second when making his racecourse debut at Naas last month.

Declared a non-runner in two subsequent races, Age Of Kings got back on track for the Ballydoyle team as he was sent off the 4-7 favourite for the Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Race.

Ryan Moore was positive from the off in the six-furlong heat and while New Image tried to make a race of it, Age Of Kings came home a cosy four-length victor, with another four and a half lengths back to third-placed News At Ten.

Age Of Kings is as low as 10-1 for the Coventry Stakes at Ascot, with stablemates Blackbeard, Little Big Bear, Aesop’s Fables and The Antarctic also prominent in the betting, leaving O’Brien to consider how best to split his strong juvenile squad.

“We’re delighted with him, he was very green the first day and he got it together there, so it was nice,” said the trainer.

“They won’t all go to Ascot, some will stay at home, and if he doesn’t go he could stay for the Railway Stakes or something.”

O’Brien and Moore had suffered a surprise reverse in the opening Ryans Cleaning Waste And Recycling Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden as Auguste Rodin (4-6 favourite) suffered a troubled passage before being beaten two and a quarter lengths by Crypto Force.

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