TREASURE BEACH STRIKES GOLD IN USA

Colm O'Donoghue's stock rose even further on Saturday evening when partnering Treasure Beach to victory in the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park.

Having been part of the furniture at Ballydoyle for some time, big rides had always eluded him in the past.

However, with Aidan O'Brien choosing not to employ a stable jockey and with Ryan Moore, his go-to man for the big occasion, out injured, O'Donoghue has come in for more and more opportunities.

After riding Treasure Beach to victory in the Irish Derby he has kept the ride and was always in the perfect position to beat Alain De Royer-Dupre's Ziyarid by a neck.

"I wanted to get the best position possible," said O'Donoghue.

"I wasn't too sure if there was going to be a whole lot of pace in the race, so I would have been happy to make the running myself. But I felt that the pace was consistent throughout, I thought Christophe (Lemaire) gave a perfect pace.

"He came back from France well and conditions were perfect today. I think he goes in anything really.

"Even though he possibly didn't run as good as we thought he would in the Grand Prix de Paris, he came out of the race in perfect form. Aidan was quite bemused by it and obviously Seville had made a step forward from his run in the Irish Derby and is now a strong favourite for the St Leger. And he (Treasure Beach) was in good form so Aidan just sent him.

"I'm very fortunate, I'm in a great position. I ride for great people who give me all these chances. And I want them and I make use of them as good as I can.

"Ziyarid is a very good horse in his own right. They thought he was a pacemaker when he won last time, but obviously he is a decent horse in his own right.

"I thought I had it (won) actually before we turned in. I was upside Christophe and he was flicking his ears and I was trying to wind him up again to go and just when he got his head in front he thought, yes, I have done enough.

"But every time Christophe came back to me he pulled more out. He is a horse who just does about enough.

"When you go back to Epsom where he was up against Pour Moi, who is a fabulous horse, he ran a gallant race and he keeps coming home."

When asked if a Grade One success in America was important for the horse, Coolmore representative Charlie O'Connor said: "Absolutely. Being a son of Galileo that is the goal, to make these horses stallions.

"Colm is a fantastic jockey, he has tons of experience and we are lucky to have him.

"I thought he gave the horse an excellent ride today. And they had to do it the hard way, you know. They crawled. We would have much preferred a better pace in the race. He is a real good horse.

"He has won over the different distances which is the sign of a very, very good horse."

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