OL’ Man River served notice that he could be among Aidan O’Brien’s most formidable contenders for classic glory in 2015 as he made it two wins from as many starts with a smooth display in the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes to complete a stakes race treble for the Ballydoyle trainer.

This regally-bred son of Montjeu and the brilliant Finsceal Beo, who topped last year’s Goffs Orby Sale, was looking to give his trainer a fourth straight win in this race following his encouraging debut triumph in August.

With a couple of 105-rated rivals amongst his five opponents Ol’ Man River looked as though he could be facing an interesting test but the rise in class was no problem for the colt who is as low as 8/1 with Ladbrokes for next year’s Derby.

Joseph O’Brien was quite content to bide his time in fourth on the 1/2 favourite and it was all looking very ominous for their rivals when the pair cruised into contention with over a quarter of a mile to run.

It wasn’t long before Ol’ Man River had established a clear lead and he only needed to be kept up to his work to defeat the Galway maiden winner Clonard Street by two and three quarter lengths.

The latter was having his first run for J.P. McManus and Tony Martin following his purchase from John McConnell’s yard and he ran a fine race. The winner’s stablemate Battle Of Marathon was third with Convergence fourth. “He travelled well through the race and would have learnt plenty on the round mile today and you couldn’t be happier,” reflected Aidan O’Brien.

“He’s had another nice experience and he doesn’t have to run again this year, I’d be happy that he’s learnt enough for next year. He has all the good entries and there is every chance that he could go for a Dewhurst or the Racing Post Trophy but we’ll just have to see.

“He’s come forward lovely from his first run and he’s exciting. A mile and a mile and a quarter will be no problem for him next year but you couldn’t be sure about a mile and a half.”

Following respectable efforts in the Debutante and Moyglare Stakes, the O’Brien-trained Qualify was a clear cut winner of the C.L. & M.F. Weld Park Stakes. A change of tactics for this group 3 brought out the best in this Louis and Kate Ronan-owned daughter of Fastnet Rock who could now be in line for a return to the big time.

In contrast to her last two starts, Qualify was dropped in by Joseph O’Brien before making good progress to draw on terms with the leaders just under a quarter of a mile out.

The 9/4 chance then led just under a furlong from home and stayed on powerfully to defeat Lola Beaux by three lengths with the heavily backed Stellar Glow third.

“We think that she is a very smart filly and it suited her being dropped in today - we’ve been riding her wrong,” reflected O’Brien. “She has plenty of speed and quickened up well and she could go for the Fillies Mile (October 17) next.”

A tilt at some of Europe’s top sprinters in Paris tomorrow was being considered for The Great War after he provided the O’Brien team with the middle leg of his treble in the Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital Blenheim Stakes.

As he went in search of his first win since early May, the War Front colt was returned the 10/11 favourite for this six furlongs listed contest.

The Great War eased ahead of pace-setting stablemate As Good As Gold nearing the furlong pole and he quickly went clear to defeat the Leopardstown maiden winner Tamadhor by three and a half lengths.

“He’s a fast horse who likes fast ground and a strong early tempo is the key to him,” commented O’Brien. “There’s a chance he could be supplemented for the Prix de l’Abbaye now.”

Fresh from bagging a hugely valuable handicap on Champions Weekend, Toe The Line continued her unrelenting rise up the ranks in the two miles The Irish Field Loughbrown Stakes.

A first listed race runner for John Kiely, the daughter of Shantou has made sustained improvement since landing a Roscommon maiden in May and she had little difficulty switching from handicaps to stakes company.

In the colours of the late Alan Lillingston, Toe The Line (7/2) was given a superb waiting ride by Fran Berry and nothing was going better when she improved to stalk the leaders early in the straight.

When brought to the inside Toe The Line picked up to lead a furlong from home and she kept on willingly to defeat Altesse by a neck.

“She’s just improved throughout the year. I’ll speak to the owners but she may well have enough done for the season,” reflected Kiely whose charge began her career with victory in a Listowel bumper just over a year ago.

Prince Connoisseur, who gave Johnny Feane his first winner at Dundalk in January, provided the trainer with his biggest success to date in the €50,000 Manguard Plus Joe McGrath Handicap.

Another good winner for Fran Berry, the three-year-old showed excellent early speed to bag a good position under the stand’s side rail.

As he looked to make it four wins from six starts the 10/1 chance kept on strongly over the course of the last furlong to hold Captain Cullen by three quarters of a length.

“He’s been a good horse for me and that was a good performance for a three-year-old against older horses,” reported Feane whose charge is owned by Hong Kong-based Angel Li. “Fran thinks he’ll be a nice sprinter for next year so we might leave him off now and give him time to strengthen up. He’s a bit idle so that’s why we put the blinkers on him.”

The Michael Halford-trained Portage delivered on the considerable promise of his debut second to East India here two months ago in the seven furlongs Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The Godolphin-owned son of Teofilo was under pressure sooner than some of his rivals but continued to hold a good position in behind the leaders and there was a certain inevitability about the result when he launched his challenge nearing the last furlong. The 2/1 favourite picked off Sacrificial inside the distance to succeed by half a length.

“He’s a lovely, big horse who stepped forward nicely from his first run and as he is quite big we gave him time before running him again,” commented Halford.

“He’ll have no trouble stepping up to a mile and will hopefully be a nice prospect for next year. It’s debatable whether he will run again this year.”

Local trainer Takashi Kodama sent out his first Curragh winner as Elusive Time sprung a 20/1 surprise in the mile handicap to bring up a four-timer for Joseph O’Brien.

A 13-times winner in Scandinavia, where he was champion sprinter, Elusive Time was looking for his first success in Ireland. The always prominent six-year-old led with around a furlong to run and he finished with three-quarters of a length to spare over Ramone.

“He’s been a difficult horse to place but everything went right for him today and he got the mile well. I’d hope that he might even stay 10 furlongs,” reported Kodama who was sending out his first winner of the season.

Fresh from two wins over fences Hurricane Ridge made a seamless transition to the flat in the Tipperary Crystal Amateur Derby (Q.R.) Handicap.

The Lakeside Racing Syndicate-owned six-year-old was returned a well-backed 5/1 chance under Kate Harrington and he made all the running.

In the closing stages he was given most to do by Focas Mor but hard as she tried at the last could not get on terms and went down by half a length.

“He’s seems to be a sweeter horse now. At the start of the year he didn’t want to know but he’s turned a corner since going chasing,” remarked Jessica Harrington, who was contemplating turning out her charge over fences at Tipperary tomorrow.

“He’s been winning over two and a half miles over fences but the drop back to a mile and a half was no problem to him.”

Whip ban

Jane Mangan picked up a two-day careless riding ban after partnering Focas Mor into second in the Amateur Derby.

ACTING STEWARDS

E. Flannery, M.J. Doyle, C. O’Flaherty, S. Barry, P.D. Matthews

HORSES TO FOLLOW

KERNOFF (M. Halford): Beaten less than a length and a half into fourth in the Joe McGrath Handicap he met significant early interference, with better luck in running he would have gone close. There is a good handicap to be won with him.