YOUNG trainer Jack Davison bagged the biggest success of his nascent training career as Mooneista claimed the Listed Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital Woodlands Stakes to secure a victory that will forever hold special resonance for her connections.

All the way back in 2006 this filly’s dam, Moon Unit, defeated her sire, Dandy Man, by a length in this race – which is a fascinating piece of trivia in itself – and for good measure Mooneista is also a homebred to ensure this is a victory that the Davison family will cherish forevermore.

On her third start of the season, the 17/2 chance, who is owned by the trainer’s mother Paula, lined up with something to find on ratings but she was produced in the form her life to account for a solid field.

Wayne Lordan delivered Mooneista with her effort as the last furlong loomed the three-year-old kept on bravely to the line to score by three-parts of a length from Harry’s Bar.

“She’s a filly we’ve always thought a lot of and she’s very determined and resolute,” remarked Davison. “We’ll think big, she’s in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot and that is the route we will go down.”

Coill Avon (100/30), who took the measure of St Mark’s Basilica in a Curragh maiden last term, turned in a fine effort to account for his elders on his comeback in the sprint handicap over just short of six furlongs.

The 89-rated Chris Clinch-owned son of Kingman knuckled down well under pressure to take the measure of the 33/1 chance Shabaaby inside the final furlong and he ran out an ultimately cosy two-and-a-quarter-length winner over his aforementioned opponent.

“The ground (good to firm) was a worry at declaration time but the team here have done a great job on it and all credit to them,” reported Ger Lyons’ brother Shane.

“He’s been gelded since last year and has matured from two to three, and he’d been working nicely at home. That was a fair performance to beat older horses at this time of year.”

Keane and Lyons doubled up with the newcomer Party House in the BBA Ireland Sourcing U.S. Winners Fillies Maiden.

This Camelot half-sister to the Grand Prix de Paris hero Gallante and the Salsabil Stakes winner Silence Please, who is owned by South African John Kalmanson, overcame distinct signs of inexperience to win this mile-and-a-quarter affair.

Party House (10/1) looked green and raw for much of the straight but when she became attuned to what was required of her she charged home to prevail by a length from The Blue Brilliant with Umneyaat, who looked a likely winner for much of the straight, having to settle for third. The winner should be quite at home when she moves up to stakes level.

Home and dry for Murtagh

FRESH from saddling his first stakes winner of the season at Navan the previous afternoon, Johnny Murtagh was already eyeing further riches at that level following the victory of Fourhometwo in the €40,000 three-year-old mile handicap.

The Madrid Handicap third faced a stiff task off top-weight against a field that contained some interesting an unexposed types but he rose to the task at hand with a display which bodes well for his prospects at a higher level.

Ben Coen had to bide his time to get a run through on the inside in the straight but when an opening appeared early in the last furlong, this son of Ajaya picked up really well.

He soon collared Rebel Step and forged ahead in good style to prevail by a length and a quarter. Fourhometwo is owned by the Any Excuse For A Holiday Syndicate.

“I thought it was going to be tough for him off top-weight as they were some nice horses in the race but he got a great ride and he has to be a stakes horse to do what he did there. He might run back in the Tetrarch Stakes on Monday,” declared Murtagh.

Easily the finish of the day came in the first divide of the 45-65 rated handicap over a mile where Blue Raven, a first flat winner for Paul Stafford, dead-heated with the Adrian McGuinness-trained Hidden Spark.

The pair went toe-to-toe over the last couple of furlongs and appeared to hit the line as one with the judge then unable to split them in the photo.

Billy Lee was on board the Joe Keeling-owned and -bred Blue Raven (28/1) while the Quantus Syndicate-owned Hidden Spark (11/2) was partnered by Cian MacRedmond.

The other division of that 45-65 rated handicap was turned into a rout by Willie McCreery’s Coill Na Sionainne.

Twelve days on from an encouraging stable debut which saw her finish third to Wee Pablo at Leopardstown, this five-year-old was sent off a strongly supported 6/4 favourite and won accordingly.

She swept to the front for Nathan Crosse with well over a furlong to run and finished with half a dozen lengths to spare.

The daughter of So You Think is owned by the Against All Odds Partnership.

THE already impressive depth of talent at Aidan O’Brien’s disposal in the juvenile ranks was once again in evidence as the newcomer Contarelli Chapel (6/4) impressed in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over just short of six furlongs.

Another winner for first-season sire Caravaggio and carrying the colours of Georg von Opel’s Westerberg, this filly raced on the pace for Ryan Moore and when asked to assert over the last furlong and a half, she was operating on a different level to her rivals.

She stormed clear for an impressive five-and-a-half-length triumph to look every inch Royal Ascot material.

“She’s never been off the bridle at home but she’s been impressing in her work and Ryan said when he asked her and she got herself organised she just took off,” stated O’Brien. “We’d be looking at her as an Albany filly and before that she might come back here for the fillies’ Group 3 on May 16th.”

The Ballydoyle trainer also supplied the favourite, Sir William Bruce, for the concluding colts’ maiden over 10 furlongs but he could only manage eighth as Dublin Journal (8/1) struck for the Jim Bolger/Kevin Manning combination.

The 78-rated son of Teofilo disappointed on testing ground on his final start at two but his two previous efforts put him into the reckoning here.

He took the measure of the front-running Moktaffy over the course of the last furlong to win by two and a quarter lengths.

There should be more to come from this Jackie Bolger-owned colt over the course of the summer.