LAST UPDATE | 18 Jul 2021
INSINUENDO CLAIMED GROUP Two honours for Willie McCreery and Billy Lee in the Kilboy Estate Stakes at the Curragh.
Already a winner at Group Three level having landed the Blue Wind Stakes at Naas in early May, the daughter of Gleneagles was last seen finishing fourth in the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes three weeks ago.
Dropping back down in class, Insinuendo was the 11-8 favourite to get back on the winning trail and mowed down April Showers late to prevail by a length and three-quarters.
McCreery said: “This was always the plan after she won her Group Three. She’s a lovely filly and she did that well.
“She’s in the Matron (at Leopardstown) and we might travel with her as well.
“Billy said she moved beautifully on the ground. He said it was a little bit quick coming down the hill, but other than that it was perfect.
Insinuendo justifies favoritism with a thrilling victory in the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes for @wjlee24786 and Willie McCreery 👏 pic.twitter.com/bYRpUu6sHy
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) July 18, 2021
“He said she travelled lovely through the race and always thought he was going to get to them. She just idled a bit when she hit the front.
“I wanted to give her time and Michael (Deegan, owner) has been very patient. It’s one of the first horses that he’s had with me so I’m delighted for him.”
Earlier on Sunday, Breeders’ Cup hero Order Of Australia made the most of having his sights lowered in the Romanised Minstrel Stakes.
The four-year-old was a shock winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland in November before going on to finish sixth behind Hong Kong superstar Golden Sixty at Sha Tin.
Aidan O’Brien’s charge weakened out of contention on his return to action in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, but had far less on his plate back on home soil and was the 2-1 favourite under Ryan Moore.
Order Of Australia was soon bowling along in front and had kept enough in the tank inside the last of seven furlongs to repel the challenge of Njord by a length and a quarter.
O’Brien said: “His first run this year at Ascot was just a bit of a mess as they jumped out and they hacked. It was the first time we decided to sit him in, being his first run of the year.
Its doubles all round after Order Of Australia wins the Group 2 Romanised Minstrel Stakes under Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O'Brien 👏 🙌@Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/nTB8ZR4HlW
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) July 18, 2021
“He has plenty of speed and he’s able to quicken. Ryan was happy going out if someone wanted to give him a lead and if not he was happy to make his own running. He is very straightforward.
“He’s made like a sprinter/miler – at halfway he really started to turn it on and Ryan gave him a good ride.
“He’s a horse that takes his racing well so we were thinking of coming here and then going for the Sussex Stakes. He has plenty of speed and gets a mile well.
“He’s a horse to look forward to and can go to America later in the year and maybe races after that as well.”
