Johannesburg loses record

RACING/Curragh Report: His unbeaten record is finished, and an attempt at the Kentucky Derby looks a forlorn hope, but there was no rush to dismiss Johannesburg after yesterday's Gladness Stakes at the Curragh.

The world's top juvenile of 2001 was beaten on the line by the older filly, Rebelline, in the Group Three contest after looking set for an impressive victory at the furlong pole.

Inside the distance, however, Michael Kinane had to get serious and it was disappointing that Johannesburg couldn't find enough to hold Rebelline, who had a less than perfect run.

Disappointing, but not as terminal as some Ballydoyle two-year-old champions down the years who flopped first time out at three and were rarely heard of again.

On the flip side was Joahnnesburg's tendency to pull hard for much of the trip and he was hardly ideally suited by the "yielding" ground.

More importantly, though, is the likelihood of significant improvement for the run. If the colt had blown any harder after the race, he could have been used as a bellows.

Significantly also the influential Ladbrokes chain didn't budge from their 7 to 4 "with a run" quote for the Sagitta 2,000 Guineas.

"It's not the first time that has happened and it won't be the last," said Aidan O'Brien. "The Gladness is always a fair race, there's nowhere to hide in it against the older horses. It took a real good horse in Giant's Causeway to stop the rot." He added: "He over-ran in the early part. There was a big difference in the pace there and in the last race he ran. But that's just the way it goes. Kevin (Prendergast) had his filly spot on." Against that, however, is the far from trouble-free run that Rebelline secured in the race and that the seven-runner field appeared to finish in something of a heap.

"She did it the hard way. She would have been a very unlucky loser," said Prendergast, who will target the winner at Longchamp's Prix Ganay if the ground is suitable in the Group One race.

There was a slight blemish on the race for Rebelline's rider, Declan McDonogh, who received a one-day ban for careless riding.

It was the only sour note of the day for Prendergast and McDonogh, who had earlier landed the opening two-year-old race with the odds-on Cat Belling, who made most to hold off Flamingo Bay by half a length.

"There is a new filles' race at Naas on May 7th that might be an idea for her," said Prendergast who later saddled Sandford Park for a late rallying victory in the mile maiden.

It wasn't all bad news for the Ballydoyle camp yesterday. Ballingarry ran out a three-length winner of the Group Two Prix Noailles at Longchamp and Galileo's brother Black Sam Bellamy broke his maiden impressively at the Curragh.

"We will have to space them out in the Derby trials. The plan is that High Chapparal will run in the Ballysax next weekend and maybe the Derrinstown after that.

"Black Sam Bellamy could go for the next Derby trial in France (Prix Grefulhe) and I wouldn't be surprised if he was a type for the French Derby," said O'Brien.

Ned Kelly confirmed himself on course for Punchestown's Emo Oil Champion Hurdle with a smooth defeat of Beef Or Salmon and Limstone Lad in the last.

"He and Kickham were just not right for Cheltenham and this weekend has vindicated not running them. I have to be happy with that run," said Ned Kelly's trainer Edward O'Grady.

Castle Gandolfo took the inaugural running of the Fosters-International Trial Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday in style.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt cruised home two and a half lengths clear of Aramram in the hands of Michael Kinane.