DONNACHA O’Brien continued in red-hot form at Naas on Monday night as Dali proved the highlight of a double on the card when landing the featured Listed Midsummer Sprint Stakes for the Coolmore partners.

The Scat Daddy colt was sent off 9/4 joint-favourite for the five-furlong listed prize after narrowly losing out on his previous outing in a Curragh handicap.

Donnacha O’Brien soon had his mount in the lead and he kept on strongly in the closing stages for a convincing two-length success over English raider Mirza.

“He had a good run the last day and was maybe slightly unlucky,” said the winning rider. “He bends his knee a little bit so he gets through soft ground but he doesn’t stay very far so I think that’s why he’s probably better on quick ground.

“He’s getting it together now and five furlongs suits him, he has plenty of pace.”

The current leader in the jockeys’ title race teamed up with his father Aidan once more when the regally-bred Darkness Falls opened her account in the seven-furlong handicap again for the Coolmore partners.

The 6/1 shot was produced to lead two furlongs from home and went on to post a comprehensive three and a half-length success over 10/11 favourite Magwadiri.

The winner is a daughter of War Front and Oaks winner Was and O’Brien junior said afterwards: “Things didn’t go right for her in a few maidens and she was down to a nice mark.

“It’s good to get that win into her with her pedigree. She’s a very well-bred filly and hopefully she’ll improve from here and get up to a bit higher mark. Obviously she’ll be an important mare going forward.”

LEE TREBLE

There was a treble of the card for jockey Billy Lee and he combined with Tyrone handler Andy Oliver for two of those successes.

It was a massive 608/1 double for the Tyrone handler and 20/1 shot Spinning Memories made a big impression when running out an easy winner of the seven-furlong maiden.

The Arcano filly overcame a slightly tardy start to chase the leaders and went on from under two furlongs out. She soon stretched clear to record a five-length win over 11/10 favourite Captain Vancouver.

“She’s a real nice filly and we’ve liked her for a while,” said Oliver. “She’s been doing everything well at home. We were hopeful of a good run but you never know until you get here.

“Billy gave her a lovely ride, kept her nice and settled, and she put it to bed very easily. We’ll take baby steps, see where we go from here, see what there is coming up for her and see which direction and how quick we go with her.

“She is entitled to come from that as she’s having as good blow.

“Because I thought she might go in tonight I have looked up the programme book a bit but it’s very tentative and I want to talk to the owner (Mubarak Al Naemi).

“The premier fillies’ handicap at the Curragh was one thing I was looking at but it just depends on the mark. To win five lengths here she might be already too high for a handicap.”

Persistence paid off with Full Disclosure as he sprang a 28/1 shock in the concluding mile handicap on the card. He was produced to lead a furlong from home and was all out at the line to hold Coach Bombay by a neck.

“That’s great. He owned by Frankie Campbell who is a very lucky owner and a very good supporter. Unfortunately he’s in Spain at the moment,” said Oliver.

“He’s been a very frustrating horse. We ran him with a tongue-tie and he just wouldn’t go at all. I used him as a lead horse, took the tongue-tie and all the apparatus off his head and the other horse couldn’t get to him. So I thought ‘right one more go’.

“He might turn up at Down Royal on Saturday if he gets in.”

Lee had kicked off the evening with a winner aboard 4/11 shot Lethal Promise in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Willie McCreery’s charge travelled well to hit the lead a furlong and a half from home and went on to post a very easy six and a half-length success.

The winner was welcomed back in by members of the Irish National Stud Breeding & Racing Club.

McCreery said: “She’s after learning so much from the two runs. She’s a lovely filly and she’s maturing. I think she went up 6kg in the last three weeks which you’d love and I just love her attitude as well.

“We’ll look at the race in Tipperary (Listed Tipperary Stakes - July 5th) or the Group 3 fillies’ races on Derby weekend at the Curragh (Grangecon Stud Stakes - July 1st).”

LISTED RACES

Owner/breeder John Grogan was delighted to get a valuable success with Rapid Reaction after she landed the five-furlong fillies’ handicap on the card.

The filly was backed from 9/1 in the morning into 5/1 and was always to the fore under Andrew Slattery. She was in front at halfway and kept on well in the closing stages to beat Aspen Belle by a length.

The winner is a half-sister to Katla, who won three listed races for the yard, and Grogan said: “It’s great to get a win on her card for breeding, that’s what it’s really all about.

“I’d say she handled the good ground well. We’ll run her again in a handicap. We’d love to get a bit of blacktype.

“That was a good handicap and the handicapper will probably give her plenty for it.”

Adrian Joyce was relieved to see Blastofmagic get him back to winning ways after emerging as a narrow victor to the apprentice handicap over five.

The 16/1 shot disputed the lead with Haqeeba inside the final furlong and just prevailed by a short-head at the line, under Ross Coakley.

“My horses weren’t right and I haven’t had any runners in a long time,” said Joyce. “Even when he ran the last day he wasn’t right.

“He was back to himself today so we’ll tip away with him now.

“He’ll run again at Tipperary next Thursday. There is a five-furlong in the same rating again.

“He loved the ground and Ross gave him a super ride. He just does enough but he did enough today.”

Acting Stewards

Ms M. Cosgrave, P. N. Reynolds, Mrs T.K. Cooper, A. Byrne, P.D. Matthews

Horse To Follow

SPINNING MEMORIES (A. Oliver): She was very impressive on her debut in the seven-furlong maiden and looks a filly that can compete at a higher level.