Upton trainer John Murphy heading in the right direction

UPTON trainer John Murphy enjoyed another great success with White Birch who claimed the the Group Two Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh. 

This beautiful grey was third in the Epsom Derby last summer and looks on a real upward curve this season. 

White Birch’s four-year-old campaign is going a dream so far and he added to last month's Alleged by winning on Monday. 

Jockey Colin Keane is always top class and he pushed out the 2/1 chance who will get plenty of entries across all the major flat meetings on either side of the Irish sea.

George Murphy, son and assistant trainer to successful handler John, said: “I’m very pleased with that, it was a very good performance. 

"He travelled along nicely, they didn’t go much of a gallop, but it was by far his best performance. 

"We couldn’t be happier with that.

We’ll see how he comes out of that and talk to the owners to make a plan. He has the option of the Tattersalls Gold Cup and also the Coronation Cup at Epsom. 

"He’s come on a nice bit from the last day and hopefully he can come on again.” 

City Of Troy was a major flop in the 2000 Guineas last weekend but still remains on target for the Epsom Derby in early June. 

Master trainer Aidan O’Brien is very keen to move on from the Guineas and offered a couple of reasons for his disappointing performance at Newmarket. 

He was sent off the 4-6 favourite in front of an expectant crowd for leg one of his three-year-old campaign, but City Of Troy trailed home ninth of the 11 starters in the opening Classic of the summer.

O’Brien suggested his star colt was upset in the stalls in the immediate aftermath and went further to explain what happened on Monday, pondering whether he had the three-year-old at concert pitch for his seasonal return.

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O’Brien said: “Maybe I left him too fresh, because he went into the stalls and reared up and when he hit the ground they let him go straight away.” 

City Of Troy was eased in the Derby market and replaced as favourite by Charlie Appleby’s Arabian Crown following his Guineas reversal, but the master of Ballydoyle has confirmed Epsom remains plan A, where he will attempt to repeat the Derby redemption heroics of Auguste Rodin 12 months ago.

“He’ll stay on the same path, you often miss the first one but we’ll just put a line through it. He’ll go for the Derby, that’s the pattern he was going and that’s the way he’ll go.” 

The Punchestown Festival concluded with a notable success for Kilworth trainer Sean O’Brien who saddled The Gradual Slope to win the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase on the final day of the meeting. 

This was a real marathon trip and this horse could develop in to a contender for all the big staying chases including Grand Nationals. 

O’Brien operates with small numbers but is more than capable of getting his horses right for the big days.

“He’s only a small horse and he had a light weight. We just felt stepping him up in trip and putting him to sleep that he would have a chance.

“We’re a real family operation and it’s great to win a big race like this. What kept us out of Ayr was that we were running out of the handicap. 

"We didn’t get in at Downpatrick and it was a matter of hoping that we would get in here.”