AIDAN O'BRIEN was the toast of The Curragh on August 8 with a stunning halflength victory for 'Zoffany' in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes.

Ridden by Johnny Murtagh, the two-yearold son of 'Dansili' just got an opening to lead near the line.

This victory was a remarkable eleventh in 13 years for O'Brien, and the colt has now stamped himself as the best two-year-old in Ireland this season.

Winning at 3/1, he put a disappointing display in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot behind him over the six furlongs to upset the odds-on favourite, 'Strong Suit', who was back in third place.

The obvious targets for this horse for the remainder of the season must include the Irish National Stakes, the Dewhurst Stakes and the Grand Criterium.

On the same card, the Ballydoyle-based supremo also saddled 'Spin', a two-yearold filly by 'Galileo', to win her one-mile maiden at 2/1 under Murtagh.

Their treble was completed by 'Fame and Glory' in the one mile, two furlongs Royal Whip Stakes, with the four-year-old son of 'Montjeu' getting past his pace-setting stable companion, 'Dixie Music', to win at the prohibitive odds of 12/1 on.

With the retirement of 'Harbinger' following an accident on the gallops in Britain, 'Fame and Glory' is now as low as 3/1 for the Prix De L'Arc.

Hopes must be high in Ballydoyle that this horse could mount a really strong challenge for this Group 1 race in October.

It is a pity that we will not see 'Harbinger' again, but in many ways not a real surprise as his amazing performance in the King George in July was going to be very, very difficult to emulate and chances were that some reason would be found to see him sent to stud without racing again.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

Colm Murphy continues to mine a rich seam of form with the six-year-old 'Aladdins Cave' and he went in again, this time at Gowran Park in the McEnerey Cup.

This son of 'Rainbow Quest' has been a good servant for the Treasure Hunters Syndicate and won this well under Pat Smullen at 9/4.

Staying on the flat, Jim Bolger sent 'Bipasha' to Leopardstown and this fiveyear-old by 'Rock of Gibraltar' won at 8/1 under Ronan Whelan.

Over at the Festival in Tramore, we saw John Cullen take the three-year-old hurdle on ' Knockcroghery' for John Nicholson. Winning at 13/8, this was a good success for the son of 'Pelder'.

BRAVE BOWS TO WAR

'War of Attrition', the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, won the Racehorse to Riding Horse class at the Horse Show at the RDS.

Taking 'Brave Inca's crown, 'War of Attrition', the former mount of our own Conor O'Dwyer, was ridden to success by the ace National Hunt jockey, Clare McMahon.

The son of 'Presenting', who only retired from racing in April of this year, beat 'Hardy Eustace', the former Cheltenham Champion hurdler, into second place, with 'Beef or Salmon' back in fourth.

ANOTHER O'BRIEN FIRST

Joseph O'Brien, the 17-year-old son of Aidan and Ann Marie O'Brien, reached a red letter day in his young riding career when taking his first Black Type race at Leopardstown on August 12, riding 'Beethoven' for his father in the Group 3 Desmond Stakes.

The three-year-old son of 'Oratario' was fourth at Royal Ascot in the St. James' Palace Stakes on his previous start this year and, going off the 2/1 favourite, O'Brien rode him well to lead over a furlong out to win.

'Beethoven' had been a highly thought-of two-year-old and was the class horse of this five-runner race.

Riding his 15th winner of the season and recording his biggest success since riding his first winner in June of last year, O'Brien's star can only be in the ascent.

To cap it all, he also scored with 'Why' in the two-year-old maiden to make it a really good evening.

Interestingly, this filly is by 'Galileo' but is out of the good race mare 'Rumpelstilskin', and she just shaded it on the line at 11/8.

- with DICK WHITE