Fallen Angel stayed on strongly to land the Moyglare Stud Stakes in impressive fashion at the Curragh, as Aidan O’Brien’s Ylang Ylang folded tamely to give up her unbeaten record.

Ylang Ylang went into the race as the ante-post favourite for next year’s Classics following two impressive displays and was sent off the 6-5 market leader in a bid to give the master of Ballydoyle his 10th success in the Group One event.

Ryan Moore sent the daughter of Frankel to the front where she was joined by Danny Tudhope aboard the eventual 9-2 winner and the duo matched strides until Ylang Ylang began to falter approaching the final furlong.

Despite Ylang Ylang falling quickly to the back of the field, the race was far from over and Willie McCreary’s Vespertilio was soon alongside Fallen Angel launching her challenge, with the duo embroiled in a real tussle to the line.

It was Karl Burke’s filly who pulled out extra when it mattered most to provide both the North Yorkshire trainer and owners Clipper Logistics with their second winner of the Irish Champions Festival following Flight Plan’s Dullingham Park Stakes success at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The winner now enters the equation for next year’s 1000 Guineas, with Coral going 8-1 and Betfair 7-1 from 25s.

Porta Fortuna could be set for a step up in trip for the Moyglare Stud Stakes following her second in the Phoenix Stakes.

Donnacha O’Brien’s youngster was unbeaten in her first three starts, landing a Curragh maiden before scooping Group Three honours at Naas and moving on to Royal Ascot, where she provided her handler with his first winner at the big meeting when finding the target under Frankie Dettori in the Albany Stakes.

Tasked with both taking on the colts and moving up to Group One company at the Curragh, she may have lost her unbeaten record, but her reputation remained unblemished having chased home impressive winner Bucanero Fuerte for the silver medal.

The daughter of Caravaggio is now set to return to competing against her own sex as connections contemplate a move up to seven furlongs for the Moyglare on September 10, with Newmarket’s Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (September 30) another Group One contest for which Porta Fortuna holds an entry.

“She ran really well and we were delighted with her,” said O’Brien.

“We’re still not 100 per cent sure, but there’s a good chance we will take a look at the Moyglare and we will train her towards that and see. She will have the option of the Cheveley Park after that also.

“I think she has plenty of speed, so I think six or seven furlongs won’t be a problem either way and she’s open to either.

“The winner looked a good horse and to go against the colts isn’t easy but she ran really well.”

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.