THERE was only a neck separating them in a Galway maiden 62 days previously and the margin of victory was the same between Innisfree and Shekhem as they served up a gripping finale to the Group 2 Beresford Stakes from which the former once again emerged victorious.

Aidan O’Brien has dominated this race like no other in the Irish pattern and since Johan Cruyff gave him his first Beresford triumph in 1996, this one-mile contest has only eluded his grasp on five occasions. This time the Ballydoyle trainer relied on just Innisfree who was the 4/6 favourite to join a roll of honour whose recent members include Saxon Warrior and Japan.

The freewheeling Shekhem made this a good test from the front and when he was joined by Donnacha O’Brien’s mount over the last quarter of a mile he still had any amount to give. Late on though, Innisfree had his measure and duly preserved his stable’s tremendous run of success in this race.

“He travelled lovely and brought me into the race nicely. I think there’s still more to come from him and he’d appreciate better ground. Even though he’s won over a mile today he’s not short of pace,” said the winning rider.

One to remember for Crosse

This was a weekend that will long in the memory for apprentice Shane Crosse who doubled his pattern race haul in the spare of 24 hours as the once raced maiden New York Girl led home a Joseph O’Brien one-two in the Group 3 Weld Park Stakes.

New York Girl and Shane Crosse (right) beat A New Dawn (centre) and Know It All (left) for trainer Joseph O'Brien \ Healy Racing

Know It All looked to have this race sewn up when she cruised into the outright lead with over two furlongs to run. However, she began to flag inside the distance and just when it seemed as though A New Dawn would land in front in the last stride or two, the Mark Dobbin-owned New York Girl (12/1) arrived from well back to prevail by a neck.

“She’s a lovely filly who showed a lot first time (fourth to Passion at Cork last month). She has a touch of class and she really put her head down for me. She’s got a great attitude and I’m just very grateful to Joseph for the opportunities he has been giving me,” reported Crosse whose first Group 3 victory came courtesy of Speak In Colours the previous afternoon.

Dermot Weld and the Aga Khan may have missed out in the Beresford but they have plenty to look forward to with the very well backed Katiba (12/1-6/1) who bested 22 rivals to make a winning debut Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over a mile. This Oisin Orr-ridden daughter of Footstepsinthesand showed lots of promise for 2020 in getting home by a head from the strong-finishing Gin Blossom. The winner is likely to be kept under wraps until next year.

The weekend at the Curragh concluded with a victory for The King Of Kells (13/2), who is trained by Michael Mulvany for his father Larry, in the six-furlong nursery. After his second in a similar event at Naas last week, this Chris Hayes-ridden gelding showed a really good attitude after racing on the pace and, with the stand’s side rail to guide him home, he bested a gallant Myrcella by a neck. He could now head for the Birdcatcher at Naas in two weeks’ time.