Aidan O'Brien raves over 'very highly rated' half-brother to Snowfall

Aidan O'Brien believes Coolmore's efforts to match the best names with their most talented horses might have just clicked spectacularly, as he waxed lyrical about new Chesham Stakes favourite Alfred Munnings.

Bred in the purple as a half-brother to record-breaking Oaks heroine Snowfall, the Dubawi colt out of a sister to Arc winner Found was extremely impressive when making a successful debut at Leopardstown on Friday night.

Now assembling one of his strongest Royal Ascot two-year-old squads for some time, O'Brien is looking forward to targeting the Chesham Stakes with the runaway winner, priced between evens and 6-4 as market leader.

Alfred Munnings: as short as evens for the Chesham Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Alfred Munnings, who the exciting colt is named after, is widely considered one of Britain's finest painters of horses and a leading impressionist artist of the 20th century.

"From day one he always looked different," said O'Brien. "From everything he's done – he's just been doing half speeds – everyone who has ridden him has always thought the world of him.

Watch: Alfred Munnings' impressive Leopardstown debut

"He's very natural. We didn't really intend to start him this early but he was just doing everything so easily that we kind of had to start him. We couldn't be happier with him.

"He's got a great mind and pedigree. He has loads of speed and seven furlongs was easy for him at Leopardstown."

On the background to Alfred Munnings' name, O'Brien explained: "They always rated him very highly in Coolmore and Sue [Magnier] has been watching him from a long way back for this name. He's by Dubawi and a half-brother to Snowfall – it's all that brilliant pedigree.

Aidan O'Brien on Alfred Munnings: 'He has loads of speed and seven furlongs was easy for him at Leopardstown'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"Sue begins to juggle around the names as the foals and yearlings are being rated, watching them every week to see if they're still going the right way. That's why the good horses usually end up with the good names.

"It's a bit of a juggling act, it's not an easy thing to do, to let the right name fall on the right horse at the right time. He has a great name."

Friday's four-and-a-half-length demolition job continued what has been an outstanding start to the season for O'Brien's team of two-year-olds, having won with seven of the 11 juveniles sent out so far in Ireland.

Battaash's brother The Antarctic was left unchanged as 5-1 favourite for the Norfolk Stakes after making it two from two at Naas on Sunday, while Group 3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes scorer Meditate was cut to 3-1 favourite (from 8) for the Albany Stakes after winning on the same card.

The Antarctic: doubled his career tally at Naas on SundayCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

O'Brien was out of luck with last season's Qipco 1,000 Guineas winner Mother Earth when finishing down the field in seventh behind Baaeed in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes on Saturday.

A rematch is not on the cards at Royal Ascot as the Ballydoyle team aim towards the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes on day two of the royal meeting.

O'Brien said: "She loves a little bit of cover in a strongly run race. The way things worked out it was never going to really suit her. She's a different filly when she gets cover but she had her run and will come on for it."

Aidan O'Brien's two-year-old runners in Ireland this year

BlackbeardUnbeaten in two starts, including Listed race at the Curragh
MeditateUnbeaten in two starts, including Group 3 at Naas
The AntarcticUnbeaten in two starts
Aesop's FablesWon Navan maiden on only start
DeneuveWon Naas maiden on only start
Little Big BearSecond in Curragh maiden before winning at Naas
Alfred MunningsWon Leopardstown maiden on only start
Age Of KingsSecond on only start at Naas (beaten in a photo)
BroadhurstSecond on only start at Navan
Tiger PawThird in Dundalk maiden before sixth at the Curragh
Victoria RoadFourth in Roscommon maiden on only start

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