Los Angeles after his victorious return (Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
The 2024 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Los Angeles (10/11 favourite) won on his seasonal reappearance at The Curragh, Ireland, on Monday.
Contesting the Group 2 Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes over one mile and two furlongs, the Aidan O’Brien-trained runner held off the late brave challenge of White Birch (3/1) by a neck.
Los Angeles, a son of former dual Derby [Epsom and The Curragh] winner Camelot, runs in the ownership of Westerberg, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derek Smith.
With Galen (3/1) and Dylan Browne McMonagle cutting out the early pace, Los Angeles and Ryan Moore sat comfortably in second place as the Joseph O’Brien-handled race leader brought the six-runner field along.
White Birch, winner of this race last season, with Colin Keane on board, and Trustyourinstrincts (11/1), ridden by Declan McDonagh, the second of three Joseph O’Brien-conditioned horses in the field disputed third position.
White Birch, from the John Murphy barn, who had not been seen on a racecourse since defeating Auguste Rodin and Crypto Force in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on May 26 last year, held the rail with Trustyourinstincts, carrying the colours of Ireland’s leading jumps owner, J.P. McManus, on his outside.
Sons And Lovers (33/1), the third of Joseph O’Brien’s contestants, was next under Chris Hayes, with Sunchart (100/1), trained by Andrew Slattery and ridden by his son Andy, bringing up the end of the field.
The same order was maintained until White Birch made his move off the rail as the six runners approached the two-furlong pole.
Galen, the race leader, soon started to weaken on the inside of Los Angeles. White Birch came wide of both, and the grey five-year-old threw down a determined challenge for Colin Keane.
Los Angeles and Ryan Moore claimed the race lead as they hit the one-pole, and despite White Birch coming within a neck of the Coolmore partners-owned four-year-old, the former never relinquished his advantage.
Trustyourinstinct came home third, a further two and a half lengths behind the brave runner-up. Sons And Loves was another head behind, with the early race leader Galen eventually coming home in fifth place.
The race outside, Sunchart, who was last throughout, passed the winning post in the same position, thirty-two lengths behind the fifth horse.
Aidan O’Brien, who last won the Mooresbridge Stakes with Broome in 2021, was very happy with the return of Los Angeles this afternoon.
Speaking to journalists in the winner’s circle after the race, the Master of Ballydoyle, said:
“We are delighted. He is a lovely big, honest horse. When he gets there, he does not do much, but that has always been him.
“He is a big four-year-old colt, and he knows how big he is. He would be very happy to walk over you rather than around you. That is the way he is. He does not even break sweat.”
The County Wexford-born handler admitted that a number of races have already been planned for the now six-time winner:
“The plan is to come back here for the Tattersalls Gold Cup. If that went well, he would then go to Ascot for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes [at Royal Ascot]. Then we could have a look at the King George [King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, England], and then he could have a break. Then we would give him a prep for the Arc [Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp in October]. That is roughly what we could do.
“He is a big powerful horse. We need him to be sharp for the King George. He might come back here then for the Royal Whip Stakes as a prep race for the Arc.”
