Earlswood advertises Classic credentials with Gallinule win for Murtagh and Coen

Johnny Murtagh had been contemplating a tilt at the Cazoo Derby with Earlswood prior to Sunday's Gallinule Stakes and any confidence behind that bid would only have been enhanced following a game display to land the Heider Family Stables-backed Group 3.

It may not have been the deepest of fields and testing ground found out some of his rivals, but the three-year-old, who represented John Oxx in his final race as a trainer last season, showed a very likeable attitude to oblige under Ben Coen.

The 11-2 chance appeared to relish the return to a more orthodox track than last time when third in Chester's Dee Stakes, cut from 100-1 to 50-1 with Bet365 for Epsom glory.

Ben Coen on Earlswood: 'He travelled everywhere and I got a nice lead down to the furlong pole'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"He's good and hardy," said Coen. "Chester was probably a bit tight for him the last day, he loved the big galloping track and the ground today."

The 19-year-old added: "He travelled everywhere and I got a nice lead down to the furlong pole. He doesn't do much in front.

"It's great to get a horse like this from John Oxx after he retired, getting a new owner into the yard. It's heavy ground, he didn't mind it but it is tough going."

Visualisation digs deep

Joseph O'Brien was out of luck in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas with Pretty Gorgeous but got on the scoresheet for the weekend when Visualisation edged out stablemate Fame And Acclaim for a 1-2 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Habitat' Handicap.

The mount of Declan McDonogh, owned by Annemarie O'Brien, struck as the 9-2 favourite, having bumped into the useful Khartoum last weekend at Naas. A trip to Royal Ascot could now be on the agenda.

Visualisation: led home a Joseph O'Brien 1-2 at the Curragh on SundayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"He's a good, tough horse and Dec gave him a good ride," said the winning trainer.

"I nearly feel a bit sorry for Fame And Acclaim – he's a good solid horse and deserves to win again – but I’m delighted they both ran well."

He added: "The winner is progressing and ran into a good horse the last day. He'll probably go for one of the handicaps at Ascot."

Zeus makes immediate impact

After dominating the Punchestown festival with an extraordinary 19 winners, Willie Mullins also made his presence felt on Tattersalls Irish Guineas weekend as new recruit Baby Zeus came home strongly under Colin Keane to deny Mirann.

Baby Zeus: stuck on his first start for Willie MullinsCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The winning rider already knew the four-year-old well, partnering him in all bar one of his six starts for Ger Lyons, and got an excellent tune out of him when it mattered to record a 6-1 success in the Betway Handicap.

"He's not a bad horse and always showed us that when he was in Ger's," said Keane. "He's promised to do that along the way and hopefully he'll continue to progress for his owners."

He added: "We probably got there as soon as you'd want to be and ran around a little but it's nice to get a bracket with him."

Mullins doubled up with the Wayne Lordan-ridden Foveros in the concluding 2m handicap.

Results and analysis

Read more Sunday reports:

Empress Josephine edges out Joan Of Arc in titanic finish for O'Brien one-two

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