Morshdi tames home team

Never, in the field of German grassy conflict, has so much been achieved by the British sporting few as it was this weekend.

In fewer than 24 hours, the two Michaels destroyed the home side and the more contemporaneous display came yesterday afternoon when Michael Jarvis, of Newmarket and England, sent out Morshdi to win the Grosser Preis von Baden.

The understated trainer is the last man you would consider for making an aggressive foreign statement, but he has now won two of the Continent's leading prizes with his colt, following Morshdi's victory in the Derby Italiano earlier this season.

At the same time, Morshdi provided further evidence that in Galileo we have the most polished equine machine to come off the forecourt in recent years. He had finished a breathless second to Aidan O'Brien's colt in the Irish Derby earlier this season and even further behind when only eighth to the same victor in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on his latest run.

Galileo will further try to grow his legend in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, and the gathering form suggests that he may breeze through that and then make a career-defining statement in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Belmont Park in New York next month. It may be that the American superhorse, Point Given, has retired with a tendon strain at a convenient time in his own legend.

But, for now, the British islands can celebrate in the taming of another national star. Morshdi was produced down the wide outside by Philip Robinson yesterday, sweeping aside the home-trained favourite Sabiango to win by a length and a quarter. Sabiango faltered into third by the line as the John Reid-ridden Boreal took the runner-up position in the Group One contest.

At no time did Robinson think he was facing a mission impossible. "I was very happy throughout the race," he said. "He quickened up well and is a very good horse." There was little argument from Reid. "Obviously, I had a chance turning for home, but the winner went by me very easily – he's a good horse," he said.

The seismic shocks in the Fatherland were not repeated yesterday in Ireland, where, it appears the trophies can be engraved before the races start. It was a day when Aidan O'Brien proved that his talents not only encompass juvenile colts, as Quarter Moon collected the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

The Ballydoyle trainer also saddled the third-home Sophisticat in the seven-furlong race, but had the good grace to allow his compatriot Dermot Weld a place in the frame via Dress To Thrill.

Sophisticat appeared to have poached a winning lead under Seamus Heffernan approaching the final furlong, but that was to disregard Quarter Moon's decisive late foray up the stands rail. It was, nevertheless, a stimulating manoeuvre to come from near last to first in the 17-strong field. Elsewhere on the card, Weld snaffled the morsels left by his younger colleague. O'Brien's Stonemason could finish only third in the Listed Round Tower Stakes as Steaming Home blessed her name following a runners-up position to Irony in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The old boy got one over on the wunderkind also in a nominally wintry 10-furlong maiden, when the Group One-placed Snowflake (O'Brien) surrendered to Chill Seeking. Snowflake, who had been a length and a half second to Lailani in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on her penultimate start, was sent off a 4-7 favourite to lose a maiden tag at the 11th attempt, but having set out to make all, proved woefully one-paced as Chill Seeking powered clear.