THE ground conditions at the Curragh deteriorated markedly before Sunday’s action, but there were some spectacular finishes and as a result some impressive performances on the clock despite the weather.

Like Jim Bolger the day before, Aidan O’Brien landed a Guineas one-two albeit with the lesser fancied Empress Josephine (109) who overhauled her stable companion Joan Of Arc in the dying strides.

The winner’s passage through the race could have been smoother and it also took her a while to gather full stride but, when she did, she ate up the ground recording a closing two-furlong sectional of 26.50 seconds which proved the best on the day. As a sister of Minding, it is likely there is still improvement in the offing as she steps up in trip and the turn of foot exhibited here will be even more of a potent weapon.

Joan Of Arc (108) improved markedly at Leopardstown when encountering good ground and it may well have been she matched that effort here.

Ryan Moore commented after her win at the Dublin venue that she will get better as she encounters a better surface so further improvement throughout the summer should not be ruled out.

No Speak Alexander (106) was probably a shade too keen in the lead and may well benefit for a drop back to the seven furlongs that saw her successful in a Group 3 on seasonal debut.

Performance of the day

Helvic Dream (115) made it fourth time lucky against Broome (113) to hand Noel Meade his first Group 1 victory on the flat and, in doing so, also claimed the accolade of performance of the day on the clock.

Ryan Moore was handy on Broome and, as in the previous two meetings, attempted to use his mounts superior speed from the home turn.

However, the effect was not the same in these conditions and the extra half furlong was beyond the son of Australia as Colin Keane persuaded Helvic Dream to go past in the final strides to enhance his course form on soft ground to 2-2.

Broome lost little in defeat and it may be that the mile-and-a-quarter trip is the limit of his stamina, while True Self ran a career best in third.

Earlswood (105+) stepped up on his third in the Dee Stakes to land the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes and pay a handsome compliment to French Derby-contender El Drama who he was no match for at Chester.

A combination of the soft ground and more galloping track suited the son of Pivotal and he looks to have plenty of improvement in him as he stretches out in trip.

The front two pulled nicely clear in the closing stages to the credit of the runner-up Arturo Toscanini (102) who was making just his third racecourse appearance.

Baby Zeus (104) made a winning debut for Willie Mullins in a race that can be noted for the first two home occupying two of the last three places turning for home before taking differing passages to challenge.

Colin Keane explored more of the home straight than his opponents as he moved from inside to out to launch his bid widest of all, a move that proved the winning of the race as the second Mirann (102) and third home Bright Idea (100) somewhat got in each other’s way down the inside.

The closing two-furlong sectional of 27.01 seconds posted by the winner was faster than Helvic Dream’s 27.35 so all three of the main protagonists emerge from the race with great credit and can be expected to be competitive in similar handicaps moving forwards.

Mirann previously ran well at this venue before disappointing slightly at Cork so it may be that the wide expanse of headquarters is what he needs to produce his best, a comment that also applies to Bright Idea who has a second to the prolific Champers Elysees on his CV here and has probably benefitted from being gelded over the winter.