JOSEPH O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle enjoyed a double at Gowran Park on Tuesday evening. Sindria was the highlight of the brace, keeping on best to land the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes.

Tracking the leaders in the early stages, the Sights On Gold Three Partnership owned 7/2 chance got to the front over a furlong out, before forging clear to beat stablemate Lemsairbat by two and a quarter lengths.

O’Brien said: “She’s a good-looking stakes-winning filly. I thought Dylan gave her a good ride and she relaxed well. We were happy with her at the end of last season and then she stepped up well here the last time.

“She stepped up again today. I think there is a group race for her here later in the year and it would make sense to come back here. It would be an option and she’ll be in all those races now.”

Satoyama makes amends

Fifth on debut after missing the break at this track last month, Satoyama formed the first leg of the O’Brien/McMonagle double when running out a game winner of the Thomastown Maiden.

Prominent throughout, the Philip Baron Von Ullmann-owned 3/1 chance led early in the straight, before keeping on well to beat favourite Kalir by two and three-quarter lengths.

O’Brien said: “He came on nicely from his first run. He was quite green the first day, he walked out of the gates, and he was more professional today. I’m not sure how deep a maiden it was, but you’d have to say that he won impressively. We’ll speak to Philip and discuss what the next step will be. He looks like a nice type.”

PADDY Twomey and Billy Lee also recorded a double. Moody initiated the two-timer when confirming recent Cork form with Snapretend to win the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Vintage Tipple Stakes.

While the runner-up was sent off favourite to reverse that previous form on 3lb better terms, it was the Twomey-trained 9/4 chance that once again emerged victorious.

Chasing her old rival for much of the contest, the Mel Sutcliffe-owned Moody led over a furlong out and found plenty when Snapretend battled back inside the last 100 yards to come out on top by half a length.

“She’s a filly that hasn’t a lot of racing done,” said Twomey. “It might have looked like a bit of an odd idea to come with a penalty into a listed race having won a listed race, but I felt that it was only her fourth run and I wanted her to learn a bit more.

“I thought she’d stay, without absolutely relishing the mile-six [trip]. I thought she had the class to stay. She was here to learn and hopefully we’ll go for the Munster Oaks next.”

Double up

Twomey and Lee continued their fine recent run, as Dark Lucinda made a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Making most of the running, the Robert J W Moran and Ballylinch Stud-owned 5/1 chance asserted early in the straight, stretching clear of her rivals from over a furlong out. Keeping on well inside the final furlong, Dark Lucinda beat Mathoura by three and a half lengths.

“She’s a nice filly. She worked well the other day and I thought she’d run a good race,” said Twomey.

“I was keen to come for this race, because she’s in the Gowran Classic in three weeks and that’ll be where she goes.”

THE Johnny Murtagh-trained Shaws Bay showed the benefit of a previous run when making all under Ben Coen to win the opening Societies Welcome At Gowran Park Maiden.

Sent off 10/3, the Glenstar Bloodstock Company Limited-owned colt broke smartly and led throughout. Pushed along to assert over two furlongs out, the son of Saxon Warrior stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to hold the late run of Bamako Beach by a neck.

“He’s a nice horse. He ran very well the first day, probably would have needed the run a little bit. He has come forward in his work,” said Murtagh. “I’d say he appreciated the better ground. Ben said he was winning well and he idled a little bit in front.

“I think seven furlongs is a good trip for him. I’m delighted the way the horses are going, they are all improving from one run to the next. That’s his second run, so he should get a mark now. We’ll see if there is a three-year-old premier handicap for him.”

Improving mare

Despite being somewhat reluctant to enter stalls, Aurora Mist was far more obliging when it mattered, staying on nicely under Orla Tynan to win the Follow Us On Instagram Apprentice Handicap.

Sent off 15/2, in the familiar colours of the Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate, the Andrew Slattery-trained filly settled in mid-division in the initial stages.

Coming through to throw down her challenge over a furlong out, Aurora Mist headed Tenacious over 100 yards out, before holding favourite Believe Believe by half a length.

“We fancied her the last day and she ran stink. We found out that she had an entrapped epiglottis and she had an operation for it. That explains the improvement,” said Slattery.

“She got a lovely run down the inner and she gave her a lovely ride. I’m hoping she’ll improve from that, I don’t think she was fully straight today and she said she had a blow at the furlong pole.”

King reigns supreme

Having been supported from 6/1 into 4/6 favourite, the Denis Hogan-trained Majestic King proved to be a handicap blot when absolutely bolting up in the concluding Save 33% Buying Tickets Online Handicap.

Tracking the leaders into the straight, jockey Joey Sheridan could afford to take a pull over a furlong out, such was the ease with which the Chomping At The Bit Syndicate-owned gelding was travelling.

Allowed to stride on soon after, the five-year-old quickly asserted, drawing clear of his toiling rivals to win by three and a half lengths. “He’s a grand horse. He enjoyed the trip and that ground is fine. Hopefully there is a bit more improvement in him,” said Sheridan.