'She never looked in danger' - Meditate finds her zen in Albany for O'Brien

Friday: Albany Stakes, Royal Ascot

Success at the royal meeting is nothing new to the Coolmore partners, but it never gets old and the magic is also rubbing off on their latest partner Georg von Opel, which was evident after Meditate stamped her class all over the Albany.

Trained – as most of their string are – by Aidan O'Brien, Meditate had struck on her first two starts in an uncomplicated manner, although the presence of impressive once-raced Newmarket winner Mawj in the field meant the well-regarded filly started as the 5-2 second favourite.

Judged on the way she took a keen hold under Ryan Moore and kept on strongly to make all, the daughter of No Nay Never probably should have headed the betting.

She had a length and three-quarters to spare over her main market rival, but it was a commanding performance, one that had bookmakers reaching for their chopping blades when it came to next year's 1,000 Guineas.

'Everybody in the yard seemed to fancy her, I was not surprised at all'Credit: Alex Livesey (Getty Images)

Paddy Power and Betfair are 12-1 (from 16-1), and that Classic is one O'Brien, winning the Albany for just a second time, is thinking back from.

He posed for a classic album pic with the Coolmore lads John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor before saying: "I'm delighted. She had a lovely run first time and then a lovely run second time and everything had gone smoothly for her.

"She's got a great mind and looks to have all the right things. She's mature, she's big – she just looks a very smart filly."

Without prompting, O'Brien suggested the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes would be a big target this term.

He said: "She looks a Moyglare filly, doesn't she? She might have run between but doesn't have to. She looks very nice."

Meditate runs in the familiar orange and blue of Tabor, who was thrilled to witness yet another victory on racing's most fashionable stage.

"Aidan said she's improved and everyone in the yard seemed to fancy her so I'm not surprised at all," he said. "She's a very easy filly to ride. You saw her leave the gate and stride out well and, while it's easy to say after the race, she never looked in danger.

"I can only speak for myself, but I still get an enormous thrill from moments like this – if I didn't I wouldn't be here."

Billionaire Von Opel, involved in Coolmore via his racing interest Westerberg, was also here, and was also beaming with delight.

"It's wonderful," he said. "She was very dominant. She's a very good filly and maybe she can go further, while she's so uncomplicated. The 1,000 Guineas would be a dream, but this is one of the best places in the world, especially for someone coming from Germany."

Godolphin's Mawj had been something of a hype horse in the build-up after a striking debut success, and she lost little in defeat.

"She ran well," trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. "I like how she ran to the line and the jockey [Ray Dawson] felt like she would get further too. I think she'll have a little break because she's still a light filly."

The same cannot be said of Meditate, and perhaps the biggest vote of confidence in her chance was the absence of her smart stablemate Statuette, who could appear at the Curragh next week.

"We didn't want to run the two," said O'Brien, who clearly did not need to run the two.

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