Valor shows his spirit for Moore and O'Brien

The July Cup may have eluded the clutches of Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore this season, but the trainer was back to his dominant best at the Curragh on Sunday with a Group 2 double.

Following Elizabeth Browning's win in the Kilboy Estate Stakes, Spirit Of Valor proved too tough a nut to crack in front, making all under Moore.

Second to Le Brivido in the Jersey Stakes last time, Spirit Of Valor looked the pick to hold off a strong British raiding party, and so it proved with So Beloved [David O'Meara] and Stormy Antarctic [Ed Walker] filling the places.

Moore was quickly into stride on the son of War Front to take up the running, but briefly looked vulnerable when the evergreen Gordon Lord Byron and Dutch Connection came to challenge.

However Moore extinguished any hopes his rivals may have had in overhauling him when kicking clear on Spirit Of Valor, and the pair won by a comfortable length and three-quarters.

So Beloved flashed home late for second, while Stormy Antarctic ran another solid race in third.

O'Brien said: "He is obviously a very good horse. Six and seven furlongs on fast ground suit him well. He had a very good run at Ascot and we tried him at a mile in the Guineas and it stretched him a bit.

"After Newmarket, we came back here to a mile in the Irish Guineas on soft ground and that didn't suit.

"We are very happy with him and there were horses with very good form in the race. We might have a look at the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood for him now."

Goodwood: could be the next port of call for Spirit Of Valor for the Lennox StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

He added: "Being by War Front, he likes nice ground, and the reason they seem to like nicer ground is because they are all such fast horses."

Bookmakers reacted by cutting the winner to as short as 9-2 for the Lennox Stakes, although he can still be backed at 8-1 with BoyleSports.

Result and analysis