The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
O’briens’ famous victory
FAME AND GLORY was the headline act on a profitable Navan card for the Aidan O’brien stable.
The top- class stayer warmed up for the defence of his Gold Cup at Royal Ascot next month in the Vintage Crop Stakes.
Successful in the same Listed race 12 months ago, the six-year-old got the better of Dermot Weld’s mare Unaccompanied after a prolonged duel throughout the final two furlongs.
The 5-4 favourite prevailed by a neck with rider Joseph O’brien not giving the six-year-old an unduly hard race on his first outing since October.
Table Mountain made the running with Fame And Glory hot on his heels before going on a long way from home to make it a true test of stamina.
Unaccompanied and Steps To Freedom ranged alongside but Fame And Glory had the class to take his winning tally to 14 from 22 starts.
O’brien Jr said: “He ran quite fresh down the back.
“I had a nice position on the bend going away from the stands and then he changed his legs and took off a bit.
“He just got a bit tired, which he was entitled to on his first run of the year.”
O’brien was standing in for Fame And Glory’s usual partner Jamie Spencer, who is serving a three-day ban.
The winner was cut to 2-1 favourite from 5-2 with most bookmakers for the Gold Cup on June 21.
The Ballydoyle team also struck with Cristoforo Colombo and Offer.
The former could go to Royal Ascot after making a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
He struck the front a furlong and a half from home, taking a couple of lengths out of the field in a matter of strides and went on to score cosily by a length and a half from Scream Blue Murder.