TEN Sovereigns was the star of four-timers for Ballydoyle and for Donnacha O’Brien at the Curragh last Saturday.

The No Nay Never colt returned to flat headquarters a week after his explosive maiden success and was sent off a 1/3 shot to complete the quick follow-up in the John Sisk and Son Round Tower Stakes.

Having tracked the leaders in the six-furlong contest, he hit the front shortly after the two pole and was asked to quicken away a furlong from home by Donnacha O’Brien.

The result was another impressive performance in the Group 3 contest as he strode away in style in the closing stages to record a three-and-three-quarter-length win over Bruce Wayne.

“You’d have to be very happy. It was lovely to come back here on a lovely bit of ground,” said Aidan O’Brien afterwards.

“He would have learned more today as he followed horses so that was great. Donnacha was very happy with him.

“He travels very strong and has a lot of speed. I couldn’t be happier. You’d be delighted to see the last furlong. He got there and opened up then.

“At least now going to the Middle Park he’s after having two runs and he should have enough experience. We’ll look forward to that now.

“He’s definitely fast but he’s relaxed and he’s very clear winded so you’d say looking at him today he shouldn’t have any problem with seven.

“He seemed to do everything right and he has a good big open stride.

“He has a lovely mind, even into the stalls, and everything is very easy. He does the same in the race, he’s very easy through the race.

“Seamus Heffernan rides him all the time and has done a great job on him.”

STRONG FINISH

Sydney Opera House had kicked off proceedings on a winning note for Ballydoyle and Donnacha O’Brien when taking the opening mile maiden in good style.

The son of Australia was to the fore through and the 5/4 favourite kept on strongly in the closing stages to post a length-and-a-half victory over Patrick Sarsfield.

“You’d be delighted with that. We thought he’d win second time but obviously Kevin Prendergast’s horse Madhmoon came and got him,” said O’Brien.

“He’s a lovely horse and will be a middle-distance horse next year, he stays well, I’d say.

“We’re very happy with him and he has options now, maybe the Beresford.”

Half an hour later, Just Wonderful came from last to first to claim the Flame Of Tara EBF Stakes.

The Dansili filly came with a powerful surge to lead inside the final furlong in the mile Group 3 contest and led home a clean sweep for the yard.

Peach Tree chased her home, a length-and-a-half back, and there was the same gap back to Fleeting.

“We weren’t sure about her getting the mile but Donnacha was very happy,” said O’Brien.

“She has a lot of ability and she probably likes coming from behind. We couldn’t be happier. He put her asleep and she relaxed lovely for him. The Boussac and those races are all there for her.

“The lovely thing about her is that she’s a great traveller, she’s very smooth through a race and gets there very easily. She probably wouldn’t want to be there too long.”

WELL-RELATED

Donnacha teamed up with his brother Joseph for his four-timer when Perfect Tapatino justified 7/4 favourtism in the 10-furlong John Sisk and Son Handicap.

The Perfect Soul colt was driven to lead inside the final furlong and held the late charge of veteran Vastonea by three-parts of a length.

“He had a good run, on his first run for us, in Leopardstown and then he was supposed to run in Ballinrobe and it was called off so we came here as it was the obvious next step for him,” said Joseph O’Brien.

“He looked in Leopardstown like he’d win off his mark. It was a mile there and looked a bit short for him.

“Donnacha said he thinks he’ll get a mile and a half. He’s a fantastically well-bred horse.

“It my first winner for Charles Fipke so it’s great. It’s only the second runner, and we’re delighted to get a winner for him.

“As I said, the horse has a fantastic pedigree. He’s starting low but you’d never know where he’d finish up.”

The 20/1 shot Kenya was the fourth leg of Aidan O’Brien’s four-timer when running out a comprehensive winner of the €100,000 Tote Irish Cambridgeshire.

The one-time classic hopeful made his return from a mid-season break and his handicap debut in the mile contest.

Seamus Heffernan was always to the fore on the Galileo colt and he kicked clear before the furlong marker to record a three-and-a-half-length win over Katiymann.

“He was just back but he had the class. He was a Group 3 winner,” said O’Brien.

“He travelled well and saw it out well. We ran him over a mile and a quarter earlier in the year and we were going too far with him.

“Seamus was very happy with him. He could go to Leopardstown in about three weeks for a Group 3 race over a mile. He’s also in the Boomerang on Champions Weekend.”

TOUGH FILLY

I’m So Fancy continued a terrific summer for Jessica Harrington, and for herself, when running out a game winner of the Group 3 Snow Fairy Stakes.

The well-backed 4/1 shot claimed Desert Diamond inside the final furlong to record a hard fought half-length win, under Colm O’Donoghue, in the colours of Jim Nicholson.

“She’s so tough and that’s her third win at the Curragh now. She’s won two listed races, been placed in a Group 2 and has now won a Group 3,” said Kate Harrington.

“She was a bit unlucky in France as she had to make her own running and got swallowed up in the last 100 yards.

“She’ll be back here for the Blandford on Champions Weekend.

“It’s a testament to Homer Scott’s sire Rajj, and her half-sister ran a lovely race in Roscommon two weeks ago so she’s one to look forward too as well.”

Urban Beat has some lofty targets after his successful return from a short break in the concluding six-furlong handicap.

Johnny Murtagh’s charge was produced to lead inside the final furlong, by Shane Foley, and the 4/1 favourite prevailed by half a length from Blairmayne.

“It was a good performance. He was off a while because we just couldn’t run him on the firm ground,” said Murtagh.

“It was a lovely race and he’s in two nice races coming up. He has the big sprint at the Curragh or Ayr.

“If the ground is too fast here we’ll probably go to Ayr. I’d say the ground is going to be lovely for him from now on.

“We just had such a dry summer and we minded him as he’s still a big baby. I think he can go a long way in the sprinting ranks. Dusty said he is learning how to sprint the whole time.”

ACTING STEWARDS

N.B. Wachman, T.K. Cooper, P. Caffrey, A. Byrne, M.F. O’Donoghue.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

BRUCE WAYNE (M.D. O’Callaghan): Ran really well to chase home a star in the making in Ten Sovereigns.