Keeneland Phoenix Stakes
Group 1, Curragh 16:00
€350,000 guaranteed,
2yo only, 6f   
Saturday 9th August 2025

1 Power Blue 10/1
2 True Love 1/4F
3 Green Sense 12/1
5 ran NR: Gstaad Distances: 1½l, 1¾l, ½l
Time: 1m 9.28s (fast by 1.42s)

Power Blue, who had been put in his place by True Love in the Railway Stakes just weeks ago, flipped the script in thrilling fashion.

Back then, Adrian Murray’s charge had finished five and three-quarter lengths adrift. This time, with Gstaad a late absentee, the spotlight fell firmly on Aidan O’Brien’s filly — sent off a prohibitive 1-4 favourite. But racing doesn’t always read the script.

From the break, Amo Racing’s duo — Power Blue and Do Bronxs — were straight into the fray, David Egan ensuring the fractions were searching, the tailwind at their backs. Ryan Moore, poised on True Love, stalked the pair. Do Bronxs wilted when the tempo cranked up. With a furlong to run, the favourite loomed, her challenge set — but Power Blue simply refused to yield. Ears pinned, legs pumping, he pulled out more, stretching away to win by a length and a half at 10-1. Green Sense kept on for third, another length and three-quarters back.

Egan, chest heaving but grinning, summed it up:

“He wears his heart on his sleeve. We went hard all the way. I knew where True Love was — always in my sights. I angled over to give him something to fight against, and he loved it. That was the key.”

The victory sealed a rapid-fire Group-race double for the team after Bucanero Fuerte’s earlier Phoenix Sprint success.

“It’s my first Group One for Amo — huge for me and for everyone involved,” said Egan. “Kia takes the hits but days like this make it worthwhile. We knew the second half of the season would be stronger — it’s all about patience.”

For Murray, it was a career-best afternoon:

“I’ve never had a better day in racing. He’s been getting bigger, stronger, improving with every run. At Ascot he was brilliant, and a furlong out today I could see she wasn’t getting to him. He was still in his comfort zone.”

In the end, the Curragh crowd had witnessed the kind of upset that keeps this sport alive — a horse who’d been humbled before finding the heart, the stride, and the will to turn history on its head.

Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (Group 1)
6f, €350,000 guaranteed
5 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (4)    Power Blue 2 9-5 Adrian Murray David Egan 10/1
2 (5) 1½ True Love 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 1/4
3 (1) 1¾  Green Sense 2 9-2 Joseph O'Brien Dylan Browne McMonagle 12/1
4 (6) ½ Puerto Rico 2 9-5 A P O'Brien Ronan Whelan 13/2
5 (3) 2¾ Do Bronxs 2 9-5 David Loughnane Declan McDonogh 100/1
NR 2 (2) Gstaad 2 9-5 A P O'Brien NON RUNNER