Alpha sparks Classic dreams with Curragh stroll

Alpha got favourite backers off to a flying start on Irish Derby day with a runaway victory in the GAIN Equine Nutrition Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.

Aidan O’Brien had saddled the last four winners of the Curragh opener and this year ran three, with Alpha very much the stable’s first string after finishing a close second on her Leopardstown debut three and a half weeks ago.

A daughter of Sea The Stars out of multiple Group One-winning mare Alpha Centauri, the 8-11 shot was bustled into an early lead by Ryan Moore and while she looked green in front for the first half of the race, she lengthened impressively once asked to do so to pull six lengths clear of her stablemate Ibelieveicanfly.

Bookmakers were suitably impressed, with Coral making Alpha their 14-1 favourite from 25-1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas.

“Ryan was very excited about her. She looks lovely,” said O’Brien.

“She’ll come back here for the Debutante. She’s unusual. Ryan said when he started to ask her from three-furlong marker that she went faster from the three to the two, then faster from the two from the one and then faster from the one to the line.

“She’s a big, powerful, filly. She’s lovely and relaxed.”