Brussels sprouts wings late on to land Curragh maiden

Brussels followed in the hoofprints of fellow Aidan O’Brien-trained runner Henri Matisse by winning the Avenuebloodstock.com Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden at the Curragh.

The subsequent French 2000 Guineas victor landed the six-furlong contest on his juvenile bow 12 months ago, while Unquestionable won for O’Brien in 2023, and Brussels (11-4) ensured a third successive win for the handler.

The Wootton Bassett colt was the pick of stable jockey Ryan Moore and duly proved too good for another Ballydoyle runner in Kansas, coming home three-quarters of a length in front, with the Ger Lyons-trained favourite Learntodiscover a further length and a quarter back in third.

Brussels is a 14-1 shot with Paddy Power for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, but O’Brien expressed some doubt about running in Berkshire next month.

He said: “Ryan was very happy. He said he was very green, he was very babyish when he got on and going down. He said he will come forward a lot from it.

“All these horses are running with Ascot in mind, but Ryan said that he was so babyish that it might come too quick. We’ll see how much he comes on.

“He said that he thought he would have no problem getting seven. He’s very big, a massive, big, powerful horse.

“The second horse ran lovely. I’m not sure if he’s quick and six is far enough for him. It was five in Naas and he might be a fast horse.”

O’Brien’s son Joseph was also on the scoresheet as Trustyourinstinct (5-4 favourite) made the most of a drop to Listed company as he beat Romzina by four lengths in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Orby Stakes.

The JP McManus-owned five-year-old was running over hurdles at this point 12 months ago, but O’Brien plans to stick to the level now.

He said: “He’s a lovely horse, very consistent and he loves it here at the Curragh. I’m delighted to have a nice winner for JP.

“He’s well enough handicapped over hurdles but he doesn’t really jump with great fluency. He’ll probably stick to the Flat.

“He’s a very solid Listed/Group Three horse and he pays his way every year. We’ve ran him internationally a few times as well and we might look at that again at a later date.”

Apercu (9-1) is set for a rise in class after getting the better of Cloud Seeker by a short head in a thrilling finish to the Tulfarris Hotel And Golf Resort Handicap.

Winning trainer Andy Oliver said: “She was enjoying herself and was going sweetly. She battles and when the horse came back at her, she just kept finding.

“She’ll go up for that (black type company) and that would be the plan.

“Mares, when they do stay in training and start improving, you never know. What’s good about her is that she just does enough. She’s a great doer at home and brings it all to the racecourse.”