Group One success for Aidan O'Brien-trained colt
23rd May 2010
Fame and Glory claimed an impressive victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on Sunday.
Having seen the back of Sea The Stars on more the one occasion last season, Aidan O'Brien will have been keen to see one of his leading older horses look the real deal.
Stablemate Dixie Music set a pretty stiff gallop in the 10-furlong test, probably to test the stamina of main market rival Cutlass Bay, but Godolphin's new recruit ran poorly and was never going at any stage for Ahmed Ajtebi.
With around three furlongs to go Johnny Murtagh made a positive move and while Lady O'Reilly's pair of Recharge and Chinese White briefly threatened, Fame And Glory (8-15 favourite) kicked into overdrive, going away to win by seven lengths.
Recharge (25-1) narrowly clung on for second to repeat the finishing order of the Mooresbridge Stakes earlier in the month
"I am delighted with him and he has come forward with every run this year," O'Brien said.
"We have always felt he could do that. An uncomplicated mile-and-a-quarter suited him well.
"He is really there now. He has class and handles fast ground.
"Hopefully he will go to the Coronation Cup, it's a quick bounce-back but we might just do it.
"He could then have a mid-summer break as he has had a good few runs now."
Godolphin's Simon Crisford said of the hitherto unbeaten Cutlass Bay: "He was never travelling that well and I think the fast ground may have been to blame as he has never run on anything quicker than good before."
Ajtebi added: "I could feel cantering down to the start that he was not happy.
"The pace was solid but I had nothing in my hands coming round the bend and I was out in the field with six furlongs to run."