Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s domination of the Phoenix Stakes has continued with Dick Whittington causing a minor upset in the Curragh feature.
The Group One contest has been won by some of Ballydoyle’s leading juveniles over the years, with Johannesburg (2001), George Washington (2005), Holy Roman Emperor (2006) and Mastercraftsman (2008) among a dozen O’Brien winners.
Following the withdrawal of Anthem Alexander, Richard Hannon’s prolific winner Kool Kompany was strongly fancied to record his first triumph at the top level and was the 8-11 favourite.
Richard Hughes was briefly kept in by Joseph O’Brien aboard the winner, but fought his way out and the two settled down for scrap in the final furlong (200m).
Neither horse wilted as the post loomed, but Dick Whittington found extra in the final strides to secure victory by half a length.
The stewards quickly called an inquiry, but the placings remained unaltered.
“He’s a tough, hardy horse. We weren’t sure before today if he would get a mile or not but after that you would think he will,” Aidan O’Brien said.
“He’s had a busy enough time for a young horse so we won’t be in any panic with him now. He’s had a tough race there and we’ll give him a little break.”
The Group One triumph was the second leg of a double on the afternoon for the O’Brien team, with John F Kennedy also throwing his name into the ring for next year’s Classics with a runaway victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
