HE was one of the best two-year-olds in the country last season and Cadillac showed that his powers remain undimmed at three as he returned with a narrow success in the Group 3 ARM Holding International Stakes.

As the runners approached the final furlong in this mile-and-a-quarter contest, Cadillac had quite a fight on his hands as he looked to fend off the two older mares True Self and Thunder Kiss.

No sooner did Shane Foley’s mount take their measure when Dawn Patrol arrived with a tremendous charge from the rear and last year’s Irish Derby third forced a bobbing finish but the photo went the way of the Alpha Racing-owned Cadillac (9/4).

“I’m delighted for the horse and it’s great to see him do this after a setback in the spring. We’ll try and win a Group 1 with him and he loves Leopardstown so we’ll possibly look at the Champion Stakes with one run beforehand.

“I think he’s a proper horse to come and do that on his first run of the year,” commented Jessica Harrington.

There was another smart three-year-old on show in the Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes where Fourhometwo (4/1) struck for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen.

This progressive son of Ajaya, who showed he was at home at this level when second in last month’s Glencairn Stakes, was the recipient of a dashing ride from Coen as he went for a daring run through on the inner at the furlong pole.

The Any Excuse For A Holiday Syndicate-owned gelding crept through on the inside of Khartoum late in the day to prevail by half a length.

“He needs a good pace to aim at which he had today and he’s a nice horse for all these types of races.

“He’s a bit buzzy but he’s getting better with every run but I like him,” stated the winning rider .

Coen was hit with a five-day careless riding ban for the manoeuvre that got him across to the inside rail.

Bears gets going for the Galway boys

AFTER what must have seemed an interminable period of bad luck, fortune finally smiled on Galway-born jockey Rossa Ryan as he landed a memorable Group 2 success on Go Bears Go in the Gain Railway Stakes.

In what looked a vintage edition of this race, which attracted its biggest field (14) since Moscow Ballet saw off 14 rivals in 1984, the David Loughnane-trained Go Bears Go was a bold €10,000 supplementary entry just nine days after taking second in the Norfolk Stakes where he was drawn on the wrong side.

For Ryan, retained rider to owner’s Amo Racing, this victory represented the conclusion of a trying period which saw him break his collarbone in May before a bout a of appendicitis ruled him out of Royal Ascot.

In Go Bears Go, the jockey had a doughty ally to propel him back into the big time and this colt deserves huge credit for bouncing out of Ascot so well.

The son of Kodi Bear raced on the pace before picking up really smartly to hold the outright lead with well over a furlong to run.

At this stage Castle Star was arriving with his customary late charge but Go Bears Go (17/2) was equal to the task at hand and contained the former’s challenge to score by a length and a quarter. Masseto was the same distance back in third with Doctor Zempf running a fine fourth in what will be one of the best juvenile races of the season.

Loughnane, who began his career working for Ryan’s father in Galway, indicated that the Phoenix Stakes back here next month would be on the agenda for the winner.

“He was just on the wrong side in the Norfolk but we were very positive he would stay six furlongs. It was a big risk coming here but it’s paid off.

He’s a top-class sprinter in the making and he has a great attitude,” reflected Ryan who was partnering just his second winner on home soil.

Apprentice Cian MacRedmond added further lustre to an already fine season as he teamed up with Sirjack Thomas to land the €50,000 Dubai Duty Free Handicap over a mile.

The Dooley Thoroughbreds-owned grey was allowed to go off at 25/1 but had shaped nicely in a similar handicap here on Guineas weekend.

Thomas travels

He travelled through the race with notable ease and then took command early in the last furlong to defeat Dream Tale by a length and set himself up for a trip to the Galway Festival.

“He’s been a bit in and out but we always felt there was a good pot in him. He won in Galway last year and we’ll head back there again and this time he should be high enough for the Galway Mile,” declared the trainer.

Lynam’s Proposal is upwardly mobile

EDDIE Lynam has another sprinting star on his hands in Romantic Proposal who made the breakthrough at stakes level in some style with a really striking effort in the Dubai Duty Free Dash Stakes.

Chris Hayes was confidence personified on the Clipper Logistics-owned five-year-old as he looked on from the rear for much of this six-furlong affair. Even after halfway Romantic Proposal had the entire field to pass but she scythed through the pack with ease over the last quarter of a mile.

The 11/4 favourite struck the front inside the last furlong and went on to score by a length and a half from Teresa Mendoza although the margin of victory doesn’t quite convey the quality of this performance.

“She’s getting better and she’s just gotten faster. A good judge, my daughter Amy, bought her as a foal for €25,000 and she bought Soffia as a foal too,” commented Lynam. “Clipper have always had a horse with me and we’ve had a good bit of luck for them. Today she always looked to be going well although I thought we were running out of furlongs and then she got there in a heartbeat.

“If the ground came up slow she might come back here for the Sapphire Stakes on Oaks weekend.”

Sindhia strikes

A long-term plan came to fruition for Sindhia as she arrived late on the scene to bag the €100,000 Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Handicap over seven furlongs.

Michael Halford had this race as the Aga Khan-owned filly’s target for the first half of the season but after halfway it looked as though Sindhia would need no small amount of luck in running.

A cool Ronan Whelan bided his time though and was able to thread his way into a challenging position early in the last furlong. Even then the Mastercraftsman filly had plenty to do but she finished with quite a flourish to lead to get home by half a length from the unlucky Mia Mento with French Rain finishing well for third.

“She’s a smashing filly and I asked Pat (Downes) to keep her in training at four as I felt the best was yet to come from her. She’s a half-sister to Sonaiyla who improved greatly at four and we felt she had the potential to do that,” stated Halford. “This track and trip suited her. She wears a chifney bit and we have a net on her to help her settle and I told Ronan to get cover and get her doing things right and luckily the gaps came.”

Weld’s Highway

Derby day concluded with a winner for Dermot Weld as Dalton Highway (12/1) made it back-to-back triumphs in the two-mile Dubai Duty Free Irish EBF Handicap. Sam Ewing was on board the winner who ran on from the turn-in to nail Dewcup in the last stride.

The Dr Ronan Lambe-owned son of Zoffany was bouncing back from an unplaced run in the previous week’s Ascot Stakes as he made it six wins from 41 career starts. “He’s tough and he’s a character. We’ll look at Galway and possibly he will go there for the two and three-quarter mile handicap hurdle. I’m delighted for Dr Lambe who is a great patron of the stable,” declared Weld.