Nightime is the right time for the Welds

Dermot Weld's genius for training racehorses is acknowledged worldwide, and Nightime's six-length rout in yesterday's Boylesports Irish 1,000 Guineas provided a marvellous classic clue as to where it might have come from.

Certainly those who believe the breeding-beats-feeding theory were vindicated in style when Nightime provided a fairytale result for the former champion trainer and his 90-year-old mother, Marguerite.

Mrs Weld saw her colours carried to victory over the 50 to 1 outsider Ardbrae Lady, with Queen Cleopatra back in third, but she also had the satisfaction of having bred the winner, who, with just two previous races, was the least experienced in the field.

Coming as it did on the back of Grey Swallow's Irish Derby win two years ago, another classic winner from the lady's band of just six brood mares, the outcome proved the talent Mrs Weld's only son possesses with horses didn't spring out of thin air.

"Wonderful," was her verdict on the occasion, and Weld himself wasn't about to disagree.

"It's very special. I thought Grey Swallow in the Derby was my most enjoyable day, but this must equal it," he said.

"Considering my mother has just six mares it is some strike rate," he grinned after Nightime became his third winner of the race.

"It's great for my mother, who has always had faith in the filly. I wanted to sell her as a yearling."

That judgment paid off in style as Pat Smullen guided the winner home on the testing conditions to maintain another family link. Smullen's wife, Frances Crowley, trained Saoire to win the Guineas last year, but the champion jockey was committed elsewhere.

"Confidential Lady going off in front was great because she brought me there perfectly. I knew she would stay a mile and a quarter, so I kicked on," Smullen said, before joking, "If anything, I'm disappointed I won so far. But you can't afford to mess around with losing momentum in that ground."

Weld now has to decide whether to stay at a mile, and run in the Coronation Stakes, or step up to the Pretty Polly Stakes followed by the Irish Oaks.

"She is still quite immature but has always worked like a decent filly," he said.

If Nightime's best might still be ahead of her, then Hurricane Run's seven-length demolition of his two rivals in the Tattersalls Gold Cup was a picture of a great horse in the full pomp of his powers.

The Andre Fabre superstar, officially the best in the world, made most of the running to win easily and emulate his sire, Montjeu, who won the race in 2000. Like him, Hurricane Run will now be aimed at the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, followed by the King George and then a repeat bid on the Arc.

"I was not worried about making the running. He can do anything," said Fabre, who on Saturday will be doubly represented in the Epsom Derby by the favourite, Visindar (Christophe Soumillon), and Linda's Lad (Frankie Dettori).

Hurricane Run was the centrepiece of a great day for Kieren Fallon, who won the two-year-old maiden for Aidan O'Brien on Eagle Mountain and then added the Group Three Gallinule Stakes with Puerto Rico.

"He has a bit of class and will love a mile and a half and a nice bit of ground," said Puerto Rico's trainer, O'Brien. "We will look at the Irish Derby in five weeks' time."

Fallon and O'Brien were responsible for the heavily backed favourite in the concluding maiden, Magicalmysterytour, but after making most of the running he was collared on the line by the more experienced Rockall Blizzard.

Michael Halford had three in the six-furlong handicap, but it wasn't the badly drawn favourite, Faynita, who won out, but the 14 to 1 Lahiba, who scored for the second time at the Curragh.