True Valour gains deserved Gr. 3 success

True Valour, already a Listed winner, added the Gr. 3 Ballycorus Stakes to his CV at Leopardstown last night.

True Valour, who had finished a gallant third in the Gr. 3 Diomed Stakes on Derby day at Epsom just 12 days earlier, gained reward for his consistency when winning the Ballycorus by two and a half lengths. The win was the middle leg of a treble for trainer Johnny Murtagh at the track.

Admittedly, the race lost some of its shine when favourite St Patrick's Day - a full brother to American Pharaoh - was withdrawn after proving unruly in the stalls, but True Valour was still an up to scratch winner, a close second to subsequent Gr. 1 winner Suedois in the Gr. 2 Boomerang Stakes over mile at the same track last year after all.

With Shane Foley unavailable, Chris Hayes stepped in for the mount and gave the colt a tactically astute ride, kicking at the top of the straight and not for catching thereafter. True Valour wore first-time cheekpieces and, in ratings terms, this was just about a career-best performance.

After the race, Johnny Murtagh said: "I'm so delighted he's won a Gr. 3 because we've always thought he was a Group horse and he thrived over the winter.

"The big day is back here on Champions Weekend. Sheikh Fahad is a big supporter of the day so he'll come back here for the Boomerang in the long-term.

"We'll keep him going because he thrives on racing. He's done nothing but improve since he came back from England.

"We put the cheekpieces on him because the last day he ran a little bit lazily although maybe Epsom didn't suit him. He likes Leopardstown.

"That's the first ride Chris has had for me. Five years he's been annoying me for rides and then I give him my best horse!"