Atomic City
Atomic City was impressive in winning the three-year-olds' maiden hurdle at Cork last Sunday. Settled towards the rear of the field early on by Mark Walsh, his jumping was good for a debutant, and he made nice ground across the top of the track on the run to the home turn. Fourth over the third last flight as the front four pulled clear, he moved towards the outside on the run to the second last. Step By Step appeared to be travelling at least as well as him at that point, but, after jumping each of the last two flights well, he moved up on the stands side on the run-in, and it always appeared that he had his rival covered from that point. He only won by a half a length in the end, but he left the impression that he had more in hand than that over a talented rival, and the two of them pulled well clear.
Winner of his maiden on the flat at Cork last May over 10 and a half furlongs on soft ground, Joseph O'Brien's horse hadn't been seen in public since he contested the red-hot King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot in June. Gelded in the interim, he was sent off a warn favourite for this, his debut over hurdles, and he duly impressed in winning cosily. The time was good too, it was a well-run race, and he beat a similarly interesting rival cosily with a long gap back to the third horse. Trained by a trainer who excels with this type of individual, and rated 88 on the flat after just four runs, he will be of interest now in another juvenile hurdle, stepped up in grade.
Cork, 11th October 2026
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