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Curragh Cup: Trustyourinstinct flies home to strike for Joseph O'Brien
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 21 Jul 2026
Trustyourinstinct could have the Melbourne Cup in his sights after rattling home late to land the 1xBet.ie Proud Supporters Of Irish Racing Curragh Cup under Declan McDonagh.
The six-year-old provided in-form Joseph O’Brien with a second super-sub winner of the weekend following victory in the Irish Oaks with second-string Johanna Walsh after Thundering On’s withdrawal.
Despite being the second best of O’Brien’s three runners in the betting behind market leader Al Riffa, he came home fast and late under McDonagh to land the prize at odds of 13-2, three-quarters of a length in front of 25-1 shot Happy Pharoah.
“He always runs well here at the Curragh. Stepping up in trip today, I think the race set up pretty well for him,” said O’Brien.
“He’s a good horse. We were pretty happy with the trip to be honest. I think Declan quietly fancied him. He’s ran great all year and like I say, particularly here. He’s at his best here. He’s a great servant.
“I think he’ll be coming back for every Group race at the Curragh that he can run in, the Leger being one of them probably.
“Potentially he could go to the Melbourne Cup. It’ll be an option for him for sure.”
If Trustyourinstinct does make it to Flemington for the race that stops a nation on the first Tuesday in November he will be bidding to give O’Brien a third win in the race having sent Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020 to land the prize.
O’Brien added of last year’s winner and the beaten odds-on favourite Al Riffa: “He ran a good race, it was a bit messy down the inside and he never really got rocking.”
McDonagh said of Trustyourinstinct: “I think that’s the third or fourth time I’ve won on him and I was just saying to Frank (Berry, racing manager) that is the first time he’s had his ground, he’d gallop down the road if you asked him too.
“Dropping him out was important to get him to relax early. The tempo was lovely for the first three furlongs then they just pulled it up in front and once they started doing that I knew I was in business because he has a great kick.
“He’s a right horse, he’s enjoying it now and has options, maybe an Irish Leger or something.”
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