SCANDINAVIA set himself up for Royal Ascot and the Gold Cup with a hard-earned victory in the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes over one mile, six furlongs.

In a race Aidan O’Brien had won with Kyprios in three of the last four years, and also with the likes of Yeats, Fame And Glory and Order Of St George, Ryan Moore started to wake up the St Leger hero with half a mile to travel in the Group 3 contest.

The 2/9 favourite led early in the straight, but was soon challenged by Donnacha O’Brien’s outsider Happy Pharoah. The hotpot held on well, albeit the margin was just half a length at the line.

Willie Mullins’ Polish-owned import Le Destrier, making his stable debut and having his first start since June 2024, ran on well for third, a further three-parts of a length away.

O’Brien was satisfied with the workmanlike success of the Coolmore-owned four-year-old. “This was the perfect race to bridge the gap from Navan to Ascot and we’ll get more serious as we go along. He’s a big relaxed horse and we couldn’t be happier really.

“Ryan was very happy. He said he ended up getting there and he was just waiting. Those type of horses, that’s what they do. They just get very relaxed.”

Successful debut

The Fozzy Stack-trained newcomer Nola Soul (15/2) made a winning debut under Seamie Heffernan in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over seven furlongs.

An imposing son of Justify, the Craig Bernick-owned colt was produced to challenge market leader King Of Cloughan over a furlong out and kept on nicely to prevail by three-parts of a length.

“He was just about ready to start there today,” said Stack. “We’ll only run him three or four times this year because he’s a big horse that needs time. The further he goes, the better he’ll go.”

Regarding next month’s Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, he added “We’ll see how he sharpens up between now and then. It wouldn’t be all about the Chesham.”

GAVIN Cromwell’s Full Moon Tonight, owned by the Equinox Syndicate, was a 25/1 winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over a mile.

The Oasis Dream filly, who made the frame in two outings at Dundalk over the winter, raced in mid-division under Robert Whearty and finished well to reel in Daring Heart for a half-length success.

“We got a little bit of interference after about a furlong and a half but she landed in an okay position and travelled nicely. I was happy with the way she picked up and hit the line,” said Whearty. “You’d have to say that she’s going to get a bit further as well.”

Monvoe (8/1) followed up last month’s win at Limerick when landing the Leopardstown Friday Night Social Apprentice Handicap over a mile.

Reese Holohan’s mount came from mid-division to lead over a furlong out and the Zoustar gelding kept on strongly to beat Ohmali by three lengths. “I thought the 10lb for the last day might stop him,” said trainer Ray Cody of the Claire O’Donovan-owned three-year-old.

“For some reason, he’s after turning the corner. He came back in this year and he probably got stronger. Limerick just gave him that bit of confidence and the quicker ground today was always going to be in his favour. The quicker, the better for him.”

A MAIDEN winner at Dundalk in January and third at Leopardstown last month, the Shane Foley-ridden Diamond Exchange (11/4 favourite) made a successful return to the south Dublin venue in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap over a mile and a quarter.

Owned in partnership by Bronsan Racing, Harry Redknapp and John Breslin, the Wootton Bassettt four-year-old tracked the leaders and forged her way to the front well inside the final furlong, just holding the challenge of Casheldale Lass by a head.

Kate Harrington, assistant trainer to her mother Jessica, said “She was really tough there. She’s a lovely, likeable filly. We thought a bit of her last year. She got colic during the summer, so fair play to connections, they waited. Shane thinks a fast run 10 furlongs is really her gig.”

Making all

Racing off the minimum Irish flat racing mark of 40, Masego made all in the Mervue Equine Supplements Handicap over just short of one mile, five furlongs.

Sent off 9/2 second favourite, the son of U S Navy Flag was shaken up by Patrick McGettigan approaching the straight and and poached a lead of a couple of lengths. In the straight, he was kept up to his work and scored by two and a quarter lengths from Eastern Wind.

Winning trainer Mags Mullins said: “Patrick gave him a lovely ride, so he did. A lovely chap. He said ‘oh, you’ll have to go back again on the flat’. We’ll play him dual. We are delighted with him. He’s down the bottom too, so he’ll stay in that grade.”

Patience pays off

Sadbh Tormey gave The Real Screamer (10/1) a patient steer to win the Women In Racing Lady Riders Handicap over a mile and a half. Favourite Touch The Moon was clear from much of the journey until joined by Star Harbour early in the straight.

Neither had any answer when The Real Screamer, who had made good headway from the rear approaching the home turn, swept to the front a furlong out to beat Touch The Moon by four lengths.

Owned by the Maydon Partnership, the Awtaad gelding was recording a fifth victory. Winning trainer Paul Flynn said: “I just thought this race every year doesn’t be the strongest and we waited for it. We were delighted to get Sadbh to ride him.”