This time last year Ol’ Man River attracted his share of column inches when topping the Goffs Orby Sale at €2.85m and in bringing his record to two wins from as many starts in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh last Sunday, this colt served notice that he is one of the brightest two-year-old talents around.

A son of the sadly deceased Montjeu and the brilliant dual Guineas winner Finsceal Beo, Ol’ Man River has a pedigree that few could match and he is certainly living up to expectations on the track.

There was plenty to like about his winning debut in August and the manner in which he coped with a significantly stiffer assignment in the Beresford marks him out as a colt of real potential. He deservedly occupies a prominent position in the ante post betting for next year’s classics.

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In all it was a highly industrious day for O’Brien at the Curragh’s penultimate meeting of the season as he bagged a Group 3 victory with Qualify in the CL & MF Weld Park Stakes, while The Great War came back to form to land the Blenheim Stakes.

The victory of Qualify was interesting as it already adds further substance to what is looking like a strong edition of last month’s Moyglare Stakes.

She is the second pattern race winner to have emerged from the Moyglare Stakes in recent days and these wins point to a bold showing from Qualify’s stablemate and Moyglare third Found, who is set to take on the best juvenile fillies in France in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp this weekend.

Another notable performance at the Curragh came from Toe The Line who bagged the Listed Irish Field Loughbrown Stakes where she had the distinction of becoming John Kiely’s first stakes runner on the flat.

Expertly handled, this daughter of Shantou landed a major handicap on Irish Champions Weekend prior to this success and she has shown a remarkable level of progress since claiming a maiden at Roscommon in May.

It is just over a year ago since the five-year-old, who carries the colours of the late Alan Lillingston, made a winning debut in a bumper at Listowel and it’s anybody’s guess how far she might be able to progress in 2015.