ON the day he registered a ninth Coral-Eclipse win, Aidan O’Brien also enjoyed a fruitful afternoon on home turf, combining with Wayne Lordan for a double. The pair landed the inaugural running of the Irish EBF Pat Smullen Stakes, with Daytona impressing in this listed heat.

Well-fancied to follow up on his debut success at Gowran, this £500,000 yearling purchase was sent off the 4/5 favourite (touched 2s early) for owners Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg and Brant.

Racing in mid-division and fifth halfway, the Wootton Bassett bay travelled strongly and improved to challenge on the outer from early in the straight.

Briefly shying away from the whip when ridden with a furlong and a half to go, he soon edged to the front and asserted in the closing stages, coming home three and a quarter lengths to the good.

“Jack (Cleary) gave him a lovely introduction in Gowran where for a first-timer he was impressive,” stable representative Chris Armstrong explained.

“He’s come along lovely at home since but he’s still fairly raw. He has the makings of a lovely horse. This race is named after a legend and Aidan picked it out straight after Gowran. He’s delighted to win the first running of it.”

Neolithic seals the brace

Bought for £210,000 as a foal, Neolithic (9/1) provided O’Brien and Lordan with their initial success in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race.

After two disappointing efforts, first-time cheekpieces had the desired effect on this Sioux Nation colt, as he made all for Westerberg, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

Ridden from the two-furlong pole, he ultimately found plenty for pressure and drew clear inside the final 200 yards, with three lengths the margin of victory.

“He worked very well last Saturday and Aidan put the cheekpieces on him just to help him concentrate,” Armstrong reflected.

“He’s a horse that has shown plenty of ability at home and I think we’re starting to see it now.”

GER Lyons and Robert Whearty both registered a double, and the pair combined for their initial success with By The Lake (6/1) in the opening EMS Copiers Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.

An €80,000 Tattersalls yearling purchase, the John Kirkland and Geraldine Ryan-owned chesnut was settled behind the leaders in a far side group.

Ridden with over a furlong to go and improving to lead inside the final 200 yards, she soon looked set for a cosy win. However, her advantage was rapidly reduced by Tornado Kiss in the closing stages, with just a neck between them at the line.

“I was going to start her at six (furlongs), but I said I’d do the entry and see what rocks up because I just like the track,” Lyons divulged. “She’s a lovely filly with a good temperament.”

Storming home

Just three of the seven declared lined up for the concluding TRM Calphormin Rated Race, and Lyons doubled his tally with Storm Piece in this seven-furlong heat. Well-supported from 11/8 into 10/11 favouritism, the Juddmonte-owned bay was settled in rear by Jack Kearney.

Taking closer order on the outer from the two-furlong pole, the 97-rated victor soon improved to dispute the lead and was engaged in a tussle with Mathan inside the final furlong.

Ultimately pulling out more in the closing stages, he came home half a length clear of his aforementioned rival, with that one a big drifter late on, easing from 5/4 to 11/4.

“I’m delighted for young Jack. The kids are all stepping up, they are getting their chances and taking them,” Lyons enthused. “I’ll have to go home and study the programme and see where we lie with this horse, but he’s nice.”

In a first-time visor, American In Paris (13/2) brought up Whearty’s brace, with this Paul Flynn-trained five-year-old leading home 14 rivals in the GMC Group Supporting Naas GAA Senior Football Race Day Apprentice Handicap.

Prominent in a nearside group and improving to lead from halfway, the bay victor found plenty for pressure when ridden with a furlong to go and came home a length and a half to the good in the colours of the Fountain Hill Racing Syndicate.

“She deserved a win, she’s been running well,” Flynn commented. “She can run bad when she’s in season and we didn’t figure that out for a while.”

WITH Chris Hayes aboard, Tropical Retreat came from last to first in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap. Second when last seen at Fairyhouse, the chesnut three-year-old was 6/1 in early shows, and returned at 9s.

Owned and trained by Tom Mullins, the 71-rated victor raced in rear and came with a sweeping run between rivals from the furlong pole. She soon surged to the front and kept up the gallop, winning by two lengths and three-quarters.

“She did what we thought she might do. She’s still learning. She likes to do it her way, rather than ours, but she’s coming round to our way of thinking,” Mullins remarked. “She knuckled down in the last furlong and climbing up the hill was a help to her.”

The Andrew Kinirons-trained Casheldale Lass defied a market drift in the Gener8 Engineering Handicap, to follow-up on her Gowran success. Upped 12lb for that win, the daughter of Raven’s Pass was as short as 15/8 in early shows but was returned at 11/2. Settled in second by Robbie Colgan before gaining a narrow lead early in the straight, the 57-rated victor was joined by Lisnadill (18/5 favourite from 9s early) with a furlong to go. Battling on in the closing stages, the Sean and Gary Murphy-owned victor, eventually prevailed by just a neck.

“We’re delighted with that. I think she improved a lot from the last day and learned a lot,” Kinirons reported. “She schools very well, she’s a brilliant jumper, and she’ll be a dual-purpose horse.”