ORDER Of St George warmed up for the defence of his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot with a decisive victory in the Seamus & Rosemary McGrath Memorial Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown.

Beaten at odds-on on his comeback in the Vintage Crop Stakes, that did not deter punters from wading in again and the 4/11 favourite was settled in fourth of the five runners.

Ryan Moore got lower in the saddle rounding the home turn, but angled Aidan O'Brien's five-year-old out to make his challenge at the top of the straight and although Twilight Payment tried to make a race of it, Order Of St George never looked in any real danger.

The Galileo five-year-old came home a ready two and quarter lengths to the good, repeating his victory of 12 months ago in the listed contest, and O'Brien said: "We were very happy with him, he settled lovely and galloped all the way to the line.

"You would have to be delighted with that, and he couldn't really have done any more. There is a bit more time this year (before Ascot). Sometimes it can be a little bit close, but it's a lovely race for the Gold Cup.

"Ryan said he was fine on the ground. He handles soft ground, but the ground here is beautiful. When he goes up in trip they will be going that bit easier. Obviously if everything is well we will look at Ascot next, and he could follow a similar path to last year."

DOUBLE

O'Brien and Moore were also on the scoresheet when Auckland got off the mark with a workmanlike performance in the Cliff At Lyons Maiden. The Galileo colt has flattered to deceive before but the 5/4 favourite was a willing accomplice for Moore and kept going to fend off Sin Sin by half a length.

O'Brien said: "He was very slow to learn and we were trying to get him to relax and do things right. The last day at Killarney was really the first time he relaxed and raced properly. Hopefully he's on an upward curve now.

"Nice ground suits him well, and Ryan felt the mile suited him. I think he might get a mile and a quarter in time, and he'll probably go back for a handicap next."

Camelback pulled out all the stops to break his duck in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Sent off the 7/4 favourite on the back of an introductory third behind two youngsters who are fancied for the Marble Hill at the Curragh on Saturday, Ger Lyons' colt was settled just off the leading group but took a while to hit top gear.

For much for the final couple of furlongs, it looked as though Jim Bolger's debutant New To Town would claim top honours, but Colin Keane conjured one last lunge out of Camelback, who prevailed by a head.

Lyons said: "He walked around like a lamb here the last day, and we thought it would take a good one to beat him over seven (furlongs). But he came into the parade ring after being tacked up and shouted and roared the place down. He also ran very free to the start, which is not him, and I was very worried.

"He was just too fresh and bold, and he's a big, strong colt. It was a good performance from stall 12, and he got a few thumps into him which will put manners on him.

"We can't treat him with kid gloves now and will have to treat him like a man and get stuck into him. He can only improve and the further he goes the better he'll be."

READ THE FULL LEOPARDSTOWN REPORT IN NEXT WEEK'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD