'He has an unbelievable pedigree' - Henri Matisse 10-1 for the 2,000 Guineas after giving Aidan O'Brien a 14th Railway Stakes

Aidan O'Brien had to rely on his supposed stable second string to provide him with his 14th win in the Group 2 GAIN-sponsored Railway Stakes, but in the unbeaten Henri Matisse he has a colt of quality who showed a good attitude under Wayne Lordan to get up late.

With a scorching gallop set by Norfolk Stakes third Arizona Blaze and the Kevin Ryan-trained York maiden winner The Strikin Viking, Wayne Lordan was able to drop his mount in at the back of the five-runner field. As the challenge of his Ryan Moore-ridden stablemate and 11-8 favourite Tunbridge Wells began to falter inside the last, the winner was starting to run on and he kept on well up the hill to nail The Strikin Viking close home and score by half a length.

It was a wonderful result too for Lordan, a year after suffering season-ending and close to career-ending injuries in his fall from the ill-fated San Antonio in the Irish Derby.

O'Brien said: "We thought he was a bit too babyish to go to Ascot and Wayne said he was still babyish there today, but that he will love going up to seven. We will see what we have for the Phoenix Stakes and we'll see if we go up to seven next time. He's a lovely horse, though, he tries very hard and he has an unbelievable pedigree."

Asked if he was surprised Moore had chosen Tunbridge Wells, O'Brien said: "That was my fault. I thought he was a bit more forward and a bit hardier. It was hard to assess Henri Matisse after the first day. He made hard work of it and I put Ryan on the wrong one. It probably won't be the last time I do that! Tunbridge Wells will be okay too. Perhaps he needs better ground and maybe needs to do a bit of growing too.

"I'd say the winner is a National Stakes horse. If he was to go again before that it would be the Phoenix Stakes or the Futurity. We haven't really leaned on the colts yet. Hopefully from here on they will really start arriving."

Henri Matisse was cut to 10-1 (from 20) by Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power for next year's Betfred 2,000 Guineas.

Amazon Lady and Billy Lee (left) go it alone on the far side when winning the Rockingham Handicap at the CurraghCredit: Patrick McCann

Lone furrow for Lee on Amazon

Billy Lee defied the perceived wisdom that the stands' side would have been the place to be in the €100,000 Rockingham Handicap. Instead, he raced alone on the far side and the tactic paid dividend on the Willie McCreery-trained Amazon Lady who made most to score. 

Owned by Madeline Burns of Rathasker Stud, the daughter of Bungle Inthejungle is in foal to New Bay and was following up a handicap success at Navan in May just over a month previously achieved in similar circumstances. 

McCreery said: "She was drawn 1, and we couldn't get up the stand rail. If we bounced smart there were six metres of fresh ground over the last three furlongs so I thought we should get over to that. She doesn't mind racing alone, she raced on her own when she won at Navan so I just told Billy to get her into a rhythm and he did.

"She's improving for every run. She was Listed placed last year and we might go to Naas for the Sweet Mimosa Stakes now."

Redemption for Feane

Curragh trainer John Feane must have thought his luck was out after narrow defeats earlier for Ano Syra in the Dash and Greek Flower in the Rockingham, and nobody would have begrudged him the winner which did come courtesy of Indigo Five in the €100,000 fillies' handicap.

The daughter of Fast Company, whose main claim to fame was her disqualification after 'winning' the wrong race due to a case of mistaken identity at Killarney in September, was brought with a well-timed run by Wesley Joyce to score by a head.

Feane said: "She was very brave today and will be better with cut in the ground. We could have had a great day but it's great to get one."

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