'This is magnificent' - six-horse trainer Pat O'Donnell strikes with Extensio and sets sights on Royal Ascot

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Six-horse Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Pat O'Donnell enjoyed the biggest Flat victory of his career with Extensio in the 2m½f handicap.

County Limerick-based O'Donnell began training in 1989 and struck in the 1995 Coral Cup with Chance Coffey, and he was back in the big time with the seven-year-old, who is owned by his wife Una and was led up by his daughter Sylvia. 

Extensio's two-length win sparked jubilant celebrations from the trainer in the winner's enclosure and he is already eyeing up Britain's most prestigious Flat meeting next year.

"Jesus Christ, I thought we were tempting fate, but he's a lucky horse as we got him cheaply and I don't think we're finished yet," he said. "I said to Joey [Sheridan, jockey] to be the last to challenge and he was one of the first rowing along. I loved that.

"We're into different territory now. We said that if he won today we'd work back from Royal Ascot. It's a big shout with a family horse, but we're not going there for the scenery and we're entitled to aim there."

It was a first Flat victory in Britain for O'Donnell, who was starstruck at the company he was keeping at the Ebor festival.

He added: "This is magnificent. Peter Easterby was above the box I was in today and he's my childhood hero. Yorkshire is the 33rd county of Ireland!"

Quinns' Jungle strike

John and Sean Quinn began this year's Ebor festival with a bang when landing a breakthrough victory at the meeting as a training duo with Jm Jungle in the 5½f handicap. 

Highfield Princess provided John Quinn with a memorable success in the 2022 Nunthorpe Stakes, but he and his son enjoyed their first success together at the four-day bonanza since the latter joined the training licence this year with the four-year-old's three-quarter-of-a-length success.

The son of Bungle Inthejungle also avenged his defeat in the race last year, when he finished third behind Equilateral.

JM Jungle (green): won the opening race of the 2024 Ebor festivalCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"He hasn't had a lot of luck, but he finally got it today," John Quinn said. "He was just beaten in this last year when he was drawn on the stands' side. It didn't work out for him at Goodwood last time and he ran a great race here in May when he was drawn on the wrong side as well. 

"He ran a great race at the Curragh when fourth in the Rockingham too. They're all very solid runs, but he got his break today."

It was a long-term plan perfectly executed by the Quinns, but also set up an audacious autumn bid for further glory over the minimum trip.

John Quinn added: "When the draw came out and the ground was dry we were delighted. This was the plan all along, but he'll roll away in all the big five-furlong handicap sprints for the rest of the year."

Lady stars

Star Of Lady M showed no ill-effects from her busy spell when running out an impressive winner of the 5f handicap.

The David O'Meara-trained four-year-old was having her 14th run of the year, but backed up her recent Newmarket victory with a four-and-a-quarter-length success.

O'Meara said: "She enjoyed the fast ground and was on the right part of the track, but it was a surprise because she was running so much and didn't have loads in hand. The tailwind might have exaggerated it.

"A lot of those good fillies at two can lose their way and fight back with a bang. She's back to her best and a winner on the first day is great. Hopefully we have one run well in a certain 1m6f race on Saturday."

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