IT was a case of another day, another double for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle at Leopardstown on Thursday, while Claude made it a treble for the yard over a Wexford.

North Coast was the most notable of the three, making all for an impressive six-length win in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes at odds of 3/1.

The John Oxley-owned colt paid a compliment to Ballydoyle’s unbeaten juvenile Daytona, who he had chased home in the Listed Irish EBF Pat Smullen Stakes earlier this month. Also adding to the taking nature of Thursday’s performance was runner-up Flushing Meadows, who had been sent off 30/100 favourite following his narrow defeat in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes. The first two finished eight lengths clear of the third.

“That’s probably a good trip for him, a stiff seven,” O’Brien commented. “He ran great in Naas and you’d have to be impressed with what he did today.

“I backed him up a bit quick coming here so we’ll probably go straight to the National Stakes now rather than going for the Futurity on the way. That would be my immediate thought. He’s a smart colt and has an exciting future.

“I was very impressed with his last half furlong. It looked like it was going to be an eyeballing match down to the line but he really pulled away again.”

Future stakes horse

A step up in class is also on the cards for stablemate Hardy Warrior (12/1), who was never headed in the opening Frank Conroy Irish EBF Maiden, a second start for the Millenium Stud-owned juvenile.

Ridden clear approaching the final furlong, the chesnut led by three and three parts of a length on the line under Dylan Browne McMonagle.

The winning trainer reflected: “He had a nice run the first time and we felt that he had come forward. I’d say he’s a stakes horse in the making.

“Our horses are often a bit green the first day but he learned plenty. I’d say he’ll be sticking to a mile and he wouldn’t be running on ground that’s too fast.”

COMPOSING (4/9f) proved a class above her rivals when quickening clear in the Saudi Cup Silver Flash Stakes, providing Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore with their fourth consecutive success in the Group 3.

Last month’s Curragh maiden winner made all of the running, and while Smexy (33/1) loomed up on her outside turning for home, none could land a blow, as Ballydoyle’s representative asserted by three and a quarter lengths on the line. Airlie Stud Stakes third Skydance finished best of the remainder.

“We’re delighted with her, she’s a lovely straightforward filly,” said O’Brien. “She won lovely the last day and Ryan loved her. She was very professional.”

On future plans, the trainer added: “She’ll go for the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh next and could be a filly for the Moyglare.”

Family rivalry

Donnacha O’Brien got on the score sheet when improving three-year-old Happy Pharoah secured back-to-back course-and-distance wins on the BoyleSports Best Odds Guaranteed Rated Race under Paddy Hartnett.

The Feargal Lynch-owned colt showed promise in a pair of 10-furlong maidens before getting off the mark in a mile-and-five-furlong maiden last month and was sent off at 7/2 to follow up under his 5lb claimer. Racing in second, he led turning for home and was soon in command, staying on to score by three and a quarter lengths. The winning trainer commented: “He’s a big horse with a good pedigree and he seems to be improving with every start. Paddy have him a lovely ride. It looked to be fairly tight on ratings but he seems to be improving.

“He could be a stakes horse. There is a nice mile-six three-year-old listed race back here in a few weeks’ time and we might have a look at that.”

STEPHEN Thorne broke the O’Brien family’s strangehold on the evening’s juvenile races when taking the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden with smart newcomer Mayflower (12/1).

The Shamrock Thoroughbreds-owned bay was slowly away under Ben Coen, who settled her at the back of the field and angled wide to challenge turning for home. The Ardad filly ran on well from two furlongs out and edged in front inside the final 110 yards, keeping on to beat 13/8 favourite Teewinot by a length and a quarter.

“She came from the breeze-ups, the Craven Sale, and was highly recommended by Robson Aguiar,” Thorne said of his first Leopardstown winner. “She’s a big, good-looking, filly and we decided we’d back off her a little bit and let her adjust to the system.

“It might not have looked the strongest race on paper but I think she has a lot of talent and class. I’m hoping that she’ll develop into a stakes performer for us later on in the season. She’s more of a three-year-old type looking at her but she’s got a great mind. I can’t thank Robson Aguiar enough for recommending her to me.”

Valuable prize

Dermot Weld also has high hopes for Alice Monet, who followed up her recent maiden victory with a two-and-half-length win in the €30,000 Dublin To Bahrain Race Series Handicap.

The Moyglare Stud homebred got off the mark in an optional claiming race at Fairyhouse and her 10-length win saw her sent off 4/1 against three more experienced rivals on Thursday. Chris Hayes kept it simple and made all aboard the 87-rated filly, leaving runners-up honours to the Mark Fahey-trained Refreshment.

“She likes nice ground and this was an ideal race for her,” said Weld. Tactics still win races and that was the plan. It was a great opportunity, a lot of money, and we had to take it. She’ll be a stakes filly with a bit of luck. She’s getting better with each race and building her confidence. I see her getting blacktype.”

O’Connell collects

Curious Bridge was another who enjoyed to ground, changed to yielding to soft following the second race, and returned to winning ways in the closing Turkish Jockey Club Handicap.

Held up by 10lb claimer Conor Cusack, the Eamon O’Connell-trained eight-year-old improved to chase the leaders approaching the turn for home and was ridden to lead before the final furlong, keeping on to score by two and three quarter lengths.

“I was confident enough here if the ground dried up for her and it did,” O’Connell commented. “She’s in foal to King Of Change but we’ll keep going for another couple of months. There no real plan. We might come back here in two weeks’ time for the amateur series handicap, she was third in it last year.”