Princess Child just got the better of Queen Of Thunder in a thrilling finish to the Group 3 Coolmore Stud No Nay Never Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, Princess Child was sent off a 3/1 shot for the Group 3 prize as a five-time runner-up at listed level and winner of the Ahonoora Handicap at the Galway Festival at the start of the month.

Settled in mid division, McMonagle managed to avoid the worst of the trouble as the field tightened up turning into the straight, with Mataariki swinging across the track to the nearside rail and appearing to impede Chantez and 11/4 favourite Fingerpaint in particular.

Switched to challenge down the middle, Princess Child reeled in Queen Of Thunder who had set sail for home, eventually edging a short head in front on the line, with Fingerpaint making late gains to be beaten a further three and a half lengths in third.

O’Brien said: “If any horse every deserved to win a stakes race it was her, although you don’t always get what you deserve. She met a bit of trouble in running but hit the line strong and while it was a head-bobber, she had previously come out the wrong side of a few tight finishes in her career.

“We had been campaigning her aggressively to try to win a stakes race and while she has a load of blacktype, to win a group race is great. I’d say it will be a career-best on the figures and I thought she won the hard way.

“She is a group winner now so it is job done, although we might look to win another one now.”

The four-year-old is by the Aga Khan-bred sire Dariyan, also the sire this season of Richard Hughes' good sprinting filly Sayidah Dariyan.

Folllowing interfernce on the turn into the straight, a stewards inquiry found Declan McDonogh was in breach of Rule 214 in that

he had ridden carelessly and having considered his record in this regard (second offence), the Raceday Stewards suspended him for seven racedays. In arriving at their decision the stewards acknowledged the honesty of Declan McDonagh's evidence but in the circumstances as four riders suffered interference as a result of his riding, they felt a sanction higher than the guidelines was appropriate on this occasion.