Lavery has last laugh on form-book

For a Group One race, the solitary form figure six next to Lavery's name before Leopardstown's Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes didn't inspire much confidence.

However, even that sole figure didn't record Lavery's subsequent exploits at the Curragh 17 days ago when he had to be withdrawn after breaking out of his starting stall. And yet, Aidan O'Brien's colt left the sceptics in no doubt as he stormed a length and a half clear of Access All Areas to win with authority.

At 14 to 1, Lavery's performance can't have been a total surprise to some but the conviction in those each-way bets can't have been helped by reports of lengthy and tense practice sessions during the week in the Ballydoyle starting stalls.

Walter Swinburn, riding his first Irish Group One winner since his return to race riding, was last to line-up and afterwards happily reported: "He was very good in the stalls, a perfect ride." Given O'Brien's estimation of his charge, Lavery's relatively equable outlook was a good omen.

"This horse has everything a good horse should have. Size, scope and well balanced. He's just all class and I think he could be really, really good," the Ballydoyle maestro enthused before explaining Lavery's less than inspiring rehearsals.

"The ground was bottomless the first day. On the second day the stall next to him closed quickly and he's such a mentally quick horse that he thought they were opening and hit the gates," he said.

Swinburn, 37 on Friday, also rode O'Brien's first Group One winner, Desert King, in the National Stakes, and added: "This is as good as any two-year-old I've ridden this year, if not the best. He raced like a horse who will get further and I might have even hit the front a bit soon."

For the first half yesterday, however, nothing was coming too soon against Polly Mills as the outsider sped into a clear lead. Access All Areas was being scrubbed along by Pat Eddery to keep tabs but coming to the distance, it was that colt who kept going as the joint favourites Pharmacist and Black Amber faded on the fast ground.

"He'll be better over further and he jinked about at one stage on the ground but he's a good horse," said Eddery and Access All Areas could travel to York for a tilt at the Gimcrack Stakes.

Polaire was running on best of all in third and Kevin Prendergast will keep the filly for the Moyglare Stud Stakes. "She missed the break and is only now maturing into a decent horse," Prendergast said, while Black Amber's rider, Richard Hughes, reported: "He was hanging all the way on the ground and was never happy."

Deauville's Prix Morny may be next on Lavery's agenda, a race where stable companions Hunan and Orpen are also entered but worryingly for O'Brien's rivals, he significantly added: "The spring messed us up because we couldn't get the conditioning work into them. We haven't really run anything at all yet but there are a few nice ones to come."

Eddery had better luck later when winning on March Star, a second winner from three runners in Ireland for James Toller in the Phoenix Sprint, and on Draft Of Vintage in the August Handicap but possibly the most deserved success of the day was Sunshine Street's in the Ballyroan Stakes.

Fourth in the Epsom Derby but second in five of his seven starts up to yesterday, Sunshine Street broke his duck with an easy defeat of Beldarian, leaving the favourite Campo Catino, who sweated up badly, only fourth.

John Murtagh pointed to the winners enclosure as he returned and joked: "He was going to stop at the number two!"

A relieved Noel Meade said: "That was his maiden. He wouldn't beat a bumper horse at home but he turns himself out on the racecourse. The ground is the big factor with him. He's in the Royal Whip but plans are on hold at the moment."

Murtagh had earlier won the first race in a desperately close finish with Strategic while Dermot Weld and Michael Kinane combined to win the last two with Abaco and Idilic Calm.

Seeking The Pearl romped into the history books at Deaville yesterday in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, the four-year-old filly becoming the first Japanese horse to win a Group One event in Europe.

Jockey Yutaka Take showed why he is such a star out in his homeland with a polished performance in the saddle, always having the winner well placed tracking leader Hayil.

Surging to the front over one furlong out, Seeking the Pearl came home a length to the good from Jim And Tonic with rank outsider Muchea the same distance away in third. Danetime led the remaining British challengers in fifth ahead of Kahal (sixth) disappointed Grazia (ninth) and the Cork and Orrery winner Tomba (last).