Wootton Bassett's Henri Matisse Secures Record-Equalling 14th Railway for Aidan O'Brien

06/30/2024 09:07 AM

Ballydoyle representative Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) finished the right side of a short-head verdict tackling six furlongs at the Curragh in May and pounced late over the same course and distance to garner a record-equalling 14th renewal of Sunday's G2 GAIN Railway Stakes for Aidan O'Brien. The victory moved O'Brien alongside legendary former Ballydoyle incumbent Vincent O'Brien on the honours board.

The Aug. 10 G1 Phoenix Stakes and Sept. 15 G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes entry was sluggish from the traps and trailed all four rivals through the initial fractions of this black-type bow. Coming under pressure to reduce arrears soon after passing halfway, the 8-1 outsider-of-five made relentless headway inside the final quarter-mile and kept on powerfully to deny British raider The Strikin Viking (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) by a half-length nearing the line. The duo finished 3 1/4 lengths clear of the G3 Marble Hill Stakes victor and G2 Norfolk Stakes third Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), who kept on well once headed to hold Henri Matisse's stablemate Tunbridge Wells (Ire) (No Nay Never) by a head for third.

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