CARMERS has a mouthwatering list of options after he took the honours in His Majesty’s Plate over two miles.

Last season’s Queen’s Vase hero at Royal Ascot went off 5/6 favourite, in the first-time visor, to account for his four rivals in the listed feature.

The Wootton Bassett colt tracked the leader Dallas Star and was ridden to the front by Billy Lee a furlong and a half down. Fiona Carmichael’s home-bred was strong in the closing stages as he accounted for Layfayette by two and a quarter lengths.

Trainer Paddy Twomey explained: “I said to his owner during the week that I thought that he had gone a bit cute, so I took off the usual blinkers.

“When he couldn’t see them behind him, he didn’t really care about them. I thought if I put in the slits (visor) and he saw what was coming, he might be more interested, and it looks like it.

“I’m actually training him on his own now and he’s enjoying that better. I tried the visor at home and he could see the horses behind him in the distance and he just seemed to be a bit more alert.

“You are trying to do the best you can for every horse and you want to get the best out of them.

“I’d say all roads lead to Ascot and I think the Gold Cup will suit him well. I thought this was a good step in going there. I think the quick ground he had tonight is important to him.

“He has beaten Scandinavia before. I think when you have a horse that is that good and they go down to the start in Ascot and there’s eight runners, you have a one in eight chance.

“We are probably working back from Australia in November, but Ascot is on the way.

“He’s a high-class stayer and he hasn’t many miles on the clock. The campaign is pretty obvious for a horse like that - Ascot, Irish Leger, Australia.

“I’ve never been to Australia, but the Melbourne Cup looks a big deal on the TV. If he was good enough to bring us there, that would be fantastic.”

THE other six races on the card were sponsored by Boyle Sports and Billy Lee had earlier scored on Cashel Blue (9/1), who claimed the lead in the closing stages to win the five-furlong three-year-old handicap for Ken Condon and owner Nicholas Varney.

The Space Blues filly had a neck to spare over Spirit Of Glory and Lee reflected: “She is not over big, but she is fierce genuine. She loved that really good ground, it is probably the quickest we have run on this year.”

Joseph O’Brien and Joey Sheridan recorded a double, which was initiated by What About Us (2/1 favourite) in the fillies’ maiden over seven furlongs.

Owned by Sean and Bernardine Mulryan, John Magnier and Paul Shanahan, the Siyouni filly scored readily by three and a half lengths from Wearing Stars.

Stable representative Mick Halford said: “She travelled like a winner through the race and, once he asked her, she quickened up well and put it to bed.

“With a lot of these well-bred fillies, the aim is obviously to get them as high rated as you can and go for a bit of blacktype with them along the way.”

Second leg of double

The 15/8 favourite Teologia, owned by San Paolo Agri-Stud S r l, was the second leg of the double, as she landed the three-year-old maiden, for horses rated no higher than 70, over an extended mile and a quarter. After hitting the front over a furlong out, she scored by a length and a quarter from Nermal.

“Joey said she is progressing with every run,” reported Halford. “The cheekpieces helped her around here, she travelled better.”

TRAINED by Andy Slattery for the Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate, Faoladh (5/1 favourite) took the seven-furlong handicap for older horses. The Kodi Bear gelding led inside the final furlong to beat Shoot To Kill by a length and a half

Jockey Adam Browne-Souza said: “I’m based with Andy full-time. I rode all their breezers this year, which was a big help to my riding.”

Owned by Patrick John O’Brien, the Denis Hogan-trained Meriden (8/1) came from off the pace to win the three-year-old handicap over seven furlongs.

The Bated Breath filly scored by half a length from Derco Annie and rider Chris Hayes reported: “I didn’t think the track really helped her. I couldn’t get her on her off-lead, for whatever reason, she was more comfortable on her near-lead.

Speed wobble

“She even unbalanced me up the straight - I kind of half took a speed wobble on her, but she stuck at it well and she has a good attitude.”

Owned by David Spratt and Sean Jones, the Colin Keane-ridden Harmani (3/1) appreciated the step up to 10 and a half furlongs in another three-year-old handicap, as he defeated Oust by six lengths.

Trainer Ger Lyons said of the Phoenix Of Spain gelding: “He’s maturing mentally and Colin said he could see him going further.

“We’ll enjoy him and then he’ll end up in Olly Murphy’s, or somewhere like that, jumping when we are finished with him.”

Facile win

Trained by Paul Fahey for the Loose Chippings Syndicate, Our Lucky Lady (11/4 favourite) proved a facile winner of the two-mile handicap, leading from three furlongs out and eased down in the closing stages to beat Jurality by four and a half lengths.

“I’ve had four rides here and two winners, so it is great,” said jockey Jessica O’Gorman.

“Paul is not here today, he is at a wedding, so hopefully he is celebrating there! I think there was a bit of money for her, so I’m sure they all had a fiver on her!”