Puppet Master adds to red-hot formline for dominant Aidan O'Brien - with promise of the best yet to come

Puppet Master completed a clean sweep of the week’s Classic trials for Aidan O'Brien, but his hard-fought victory suggested the best three-year-old colt from Ballydoyle may emerge in the days ahead.

The grey fought off stablemate Stay True and survived a stewards’ inquiry to land the Derby Trial, completing a double for Ryan Moore after Giselle’s success in the Oaks equivalent and adding to major wins with Minnie Hauk, Lambourn and Mount Kilimanjaro at Chester.

Moore opted to ride the attractive grey as he had four runs over the once-raced Stay True, and made the correct decision, the 4-5 favourite handling the course’s tight bends with aplomb. 

While the strong-travelling runner-up pressed him to a short head after racing greenly under Richard Kingscote and may turn out to be the better horse in time, victory always seemed assured for the team's first string. 

“Yeah,” replied Moore when asked if it was difficult to choose between the two runners. “The only thing that swung it was the experience of my horse. They’re two nice horses and they both have good futures.

"Puppet Master and Stay True are two lovely horses," said Coolmore's Paul Smith. "They hit the line hard, so they get the trip well, and they'd have learned a lot from the race"Credit: Edward Whitaker

“We fancied my horse in the Royal Lodge last year and he didn’t quite run his race, but he had a nice run in the Leopardstown race. That experience held him in good stead today.”

The Leopardstown race, also known as the Ballysax Stakes, has worked out particularly well. Puppet Master was only fourth but became the contest's third Group winner following the recent strikes of Lambourn and Wemightakedlongway, who finished second and fifth. 

The race's latest winner was halved to 25-1 by bookmakers for the Derby on June 7, but better could be just around the corner. The Ballysax winner Delacroix is an 8-1 chance for Epsom and could enhance his claims back at Leopardstown on Sunday. 

There will be a slightly longer wait to see the Derby favourite The Lion In Winter, with the 3-1 shot slated to return in Thursday's Dante Stakes. 

"It's been a great week and Puppet Master and Stay True are two lovely horses," said Coolmore's Paul Smith. "They hit the line hard, so they get the trip well, and they'd have learned a lot from the race.

"That Ballysax form is looking strong. We like Delacroix, but we like Lambourn and Puppet Master as well, so tomorrow will be interesting. The Lion In Winter is very well and did a piece of work the other day. I think Aidan and the team are very happy with him."

Moore, all too happy to receive a high-five from a child of the owners' entourage but typically coy with the press, was not going to be drawn into conversations about the pick of the bunch.

"We’ve got Leopardstown and France tomorrow and York next week, and I’m sure Aidan will make a plan," he said.

There are still strings to be pulled at Ballydoyle and the master may have been absent on this occasion, but the show is running flawlessly so far.

Ballydoyle's Classic trial winners

Ballysax Stakes: Delacroix (best-priced 8-1 for Derby)

Sandown Classic Trial: Swagman (33-1 for Derby)

Cheshire Oaks: Minnie Hauk (10-1 for Oaks)

Chester Vase: Lambourn (25-1 for Derby)

Dee Stakes: Mount Kilimanjaro (33-1 for Derby)

Lingfield Oaks Trial: Giselle (12-1 for Oaks)

Lingfield Derby Trial: Puppet Master (33-1 for Derby)

Naas Oaks Trial: Garden Of Eden (no entry in Oaks)

And still to come  . . .

Delacroix (again, in the Leopardstown Derby Trial, Sunday)

The Lion In Winter (Dante Stakes, Thursday)

Derby and Oaks latest ante-post odds

Betfred Oaks (Epsom, June 6)

Betfred: 3 Desert Flower, 8 Minnie Hauk, 9 Falakeyah, 12 Giselle, Lake Victoria, 16 Alobayyah, Ballet Slippers, Dreamy, 20 bar

Betfred Derby (Epsom, June 7)

Betfred: 3 The Lion In Winter, 7-2 Ruling Court, 7 Delacroix, 15-2 Twain, 14 Lambourn, 20 Mount Kilimanjaro, 25 bar. 

Read this next:

'Ryan said she's a top-class filly' - Giselle enters Epsom fray and cut to 12-1 for Oaks 

'You can see the size and power of him - he's a Coventry horse' - well-touted Aidan O'Brien juvenile 5-2 for Royal Ascot after dazzling debut 

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