CONTENT comprehensively reversed previous Leopardstown form with Kitty Rose as the pair again occupied the first two places in the Group 3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes to complete a 104/1 double at headquarters for Aidan O’Brien.

The Coolmore partners-owned daughter of Galileo was sent off an unconsidered 20/1 chance having raced too keenly here last time and Chris Hayes adopted patient tactics in this mile event.

Content made eye-catching headway on the outer in the straight and, after being ridden to lead 150 yards out, got well on top in the closing stages to beat the 11/10 favourite Kitty Rose by two and a half lengths.

French raider Dare To Dream was a further half-a-length back in third.

Hayes, who has now ridden two winners from just three rides for O’Brien, said: “It was a nice spare to get. She’s obviously well-bred and if you ignored her last run and came straight here from Champions Weekend, she had to have a chance.

“She rolled around a little bit late on but it’s holding ground (officially soft) and we were after going an even tempo.

“Aidan wanted to teach her, so it was important to get cover and a smooth run. I think she will improve, and she won snug in the end.”

Derby quotes

Illinois, a Galileo half-brother to Arc winner Danedream, earned 20/1 quotes for next year’s Derby after initiating the Ballydoyle double with an exciting victory on debut in the Shoda Market Café Irish EBF Maiden over nine furlongs.

The easy-to-back 4/1 chance took control from over a furlong out to beat the staying on Soul Of Spain by an easy three lengths and rider Seamie Heffernan was impressed saying: “He’s a beautiful colt and I actually got there a little sooner because I thought he’d take a bit of stoking.

“He has a lot going for him – pedigree, scope, size, action, wind. He’s pretty much a steering job and I’m going to miss these Galileos!”

CHAMPION elect Colin Keane moved onto the 84-winner mark for the season (20 clear of Billy Lee) with a 421/1 treble highlighted by an all-the-way success aboard Aussie Girl in the Listed Darley Irish EBF Brigid’s Pastures Stakes.

The Starspangledbanner filly, trained by Fozzy Stack for Peter Piller, has improved in leaps and bounds since taking a Sligo maiden this spring, adding a valuable handicap at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend, and the well-backed 9/4 favourite showed great speed throughout here before keeping on strongly inside the final furlong to beat the English raider Pinafore by a length and three quarters.

Keane said: “Fozzy said not to interfere with her as she usually jumps smart, and he said let her dictate on her own terms. She’s a big filly that should only improve with time, handles those conditions well and is very tough and genuine.”

Luke McAteer received a four-day careless riding ban on third placed Special Wan in third.

Meade newcomer

Four-time champion jockey Colin Keane was also successful aboard newcomer Letherfly in the six-furlong Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden. The Noel Meade-trained 12/1 chance was briefly short of room over a furlong out but picked up well when getting in the clear to beat Four Blondes by a length and a half.

“She’s been doing things well but is big and backward and needs time. I’d say she should get seven or a mile,” said Meade before adding: “Brian Wallace put the (Harcourt Racing) Syndicate together and he was also the instigator of the High Street Syndicate that had some very good horses like Sausalito Bay and Rosaker.”

Sunday Sovereign, owned and trained by James McAuley, completed the Keane treble in the Quinnbet Handicap. The 9/1 shot was prominent throughout and kept on gamely inside the final furlong to hold off Magical Vision by a head.

“He never really got into a battle before as when he won, he won easy but Colin said he was extremely genuine. We bought him for handy enough money (9,000 guineas) and he’s won twice for us now,” said the Naul trainer.

Double

McAuley was completing a 189/1 double as he was also successful with top-weight Tawaazon (18/1) who made virtually all in the Stephen Quirke Memorial Handicap and was driven right out by Jamie Powell to deny Gustavus Weston by half-a-length.

“The horses have all just clicked. We have cut back on their work and just done sharper work and it seems to have them particularly sweet at the minute,” said McAuley.

“I’d say this lad needed the run at Bellewstown mentally as much as anything else. He has plenty of mileage and wear and tear but has been a brilliant servant to us. When we claimed him, he won two weeks in a row in Dundalk, and you would think he wouldn’t walk on soft ground but then he won a Premier Handicap on soft.

“He’s just very versatile and when you have him right, he’s good and hardy.”

The Gavin Cromwell-trained 11/2 chance travelled well just in behind the leaders and, after being switched right towards the far rail over a furlong out, quickened up nicely to beat Narlita by three and a quarter lengths.

“Gavin just said to hold onto her as long as you can and as soon as she got a bit of daylight, she took off with me. That’s my third winner on the track and 12 all together with point-to-points,” said Benson.

Happier experience

Indigo Five was at the centre of an embarrassing case of mis-identity when ‘winning’ at Killarney in place of stablemate Ano Manna but gave connections a much happier experience just seven days later when justifying 9/2 favouritism in the Derek O’Sullivan Race 50th Anniversary Apprentice Handicap.

The Fast Company filly drew clear along with Mogwli in the final furlong with Hugh Horgan’s mount prevailing by half-a-length.

“It was a bit of a disaster last week. I didn’t arrive till after the race at Killarney and when I got down to the stableyard I spotted the difference straight away.

“I’m delighted she won today for Ray (McSharry, owner). It’s a nice boost for everyone at the end of a bad week,” said trainer Johnny Feane.

“She’s keeps improving and did it the hard way there drawn 18 and wide all the way. She just kept galloping and the cheekpieces helped. She’s in the sales but she might run again, or they could hang onto her.”

Hugh Horgan received a nine-day whip ban for excessive frequency on winner.