THE all-conquering Aidan O'Brien stable notched up another treble at the Curragh on Sunday, taking two of the day's pattern events and introducing a potential classic star in the maiden, although also suffering a shock reverse with a 2/7 favourite.

Rain Goddess showed no ill effects from a disappointing run in the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington in America 15 days ago by grinding out victory in the Group 3 Snow Fairy Fillies' Stakes.

The daughter of Galileo returned to the kind of form that had seen her finish second to Enable in the Irish Oaks, to register her first success since her debut 11 months ago.

The 11/4 joint-favourite got past her pacemaking stablemate Key To My Heart inside the final furlong to get first run over her market rival, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Intimation, and land the nine-furlong heat by half a length. Roger Varian's Dawn Of Hope was the same distance back in third.

The win sealed O'Brien's treble on the day and completed a pattern-race double for jockey Ryan Moore.

O'Brien said: "It was great to get her back. She's a very well-bred filly and Ryan gave her a great ride. The last day in America she was just drawn out a little bit too far.

"She had very good form as she was placed in two Group 1s. To win a Group 3 is very important to her.

"That's about her trip. Even though she ran over a mile and a half, I'd say probably a mile and a furlong or a mile and a quarter is her trip.

"The Blandford looks perfect for her. After winning that we can travel with her – it's a big help. The pressure is off once she's won a group race.

"The Blandford, then you'd never know – she could go for the fillies' race (Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf) in America at the end. I think it's a mile and a furlong this year."

U S Navy Flag benefited from a drop in class to run out an emphatic winner of the Group 3 Plusvital Round Tower Stakes.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt was not disgraced when fourth to Sioux Nation in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes on his latest start and made the most of a slightly easier task to put his rivals to the sword.

Leading all the way on the stands rail under Ryan Moore, U S Navy Flag (5/4 favourite) pulled clear in the final furlong to strike by six lengths from Landshark. Ball Girl was a neck away in third.

The winner was quoted at 25/1 with Paddy Power for the Qipco 2000 Guineas

O'Brien said: "You'd be delighted with him. We were going to go to the Morny and the Gimcrack, but we waited as it was nicer ground here.

"He's a fast horse and he keeps going. I'd imagine he'll go for the Middle Park or something like that. I'd say that's where he'll probably go.

"Good ground is only an advantage. I wouldn't think he's a soft ground horse, as he's a very good mover and he's fast. You'd say he's progressed from his last run. He galloped out well there."

There was a surprise reverse for the O'Brien team when 2/7 hotpot Ballet Shoes was shrugged aside by Liquid Amber in the Group 3 Flame Of Tara Irish EBF Stakes.

The one-mile race looked like going to plan when Ryan Moore sent Ballet Shoes into the lead just under two furlongs out, after Black Sails had made the running. However, Billy Lee had the favourite in his sights and Liquid Amber (10/1) swept by in the final furlong to land the spoils by five lengths for trainer Willie McCreery.

The winner was running just eight days after making her debut, and McCreery said: "You're a genius now when you run them back that quick!

"I really didn't want to do it, but she bounced out of it and they reopened this race and I saw there were only 12 entries. There were only four or five trainers so I knew Aidan had a few entries and it might cut up.

"I was just hoping for a bit of blacktype and it just shows you she came on a ton for her race the last day.

"She's a filly going forward and she's very well bred. Gerard Butler had the dam in England and America and she won a lot of prize money. The Niarchos family bought her and I'm lucky to get her.

"She might not run again this year and we'll stick her into the Guineas for next year. She's going the right way and she's a lovely, big, scopey filly. I loved the way she stayed it out.

"We'll stick to the mile for the minute. That's what we'll aim at first and then work from there."

Elusive Time came with a rattling run on the near side to win a 27-runner cavalry charge for the Tote Irish Cambridgeshire.

Ross Coakley grabbed the stands rail on the nine-year-old, trained by Kildare-based trainer Takashi Kodama, and it paid off as the 25/1 shot lifted the Premier Handicap.

Runner-up Surrounding was on the opposite side of the course, Sinfonietta was third and 7/1 favourite So You Thought fourth.

Kodama said: "I know he won at Leopardstown, but I was surprised as he's nine years old and in the last three years he's had loads of small problems.

"Suddenly everything is going very well in the last two months. I had a doubt about the ground as he wants fast ground. Even the jockey said it wasn't expected. I was going to retire him at the end of this season, but maybe not now!"

"It's lovely to have a winner at the Curragh. I have six in training at moment and this is my biggest ever winner.

"We might run on Champion Stakes Day at Leopardstown (Sovereign Path). It's a little bit too short, but he finished eighth in it two years ago and is probably in better form now. I thought he wouldn't get into it, but maybe now he has a chance."

Saxon Warrior looked a cut above the average two-year-old when making a big impression on his debut.

The son of Deep Impact was one of three Aidan O'Brien-trained colts in the one-mile Irish Times Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden and was a most authoritative winner.

Coming from off the pace, the 8/1 shot showed a neat turn of foot for Donnacha O'Brien to score by three and a quarter lengths from Meagher's Flag. The winner's stable companion Saracen Knight was half a length away in third, with O'Brien's other runner, the 8/11 favourite Christopher Robin, only seventh.

"It's lovely to find them. He looks a very smart colt," said O'Brien. "He was just ready to come racing. Donnacha said when he pulled him out he took off. That's great.

"He really quickened and when you run those horses you are always hoping you'll find something. He's a big, powerful horse. The dam was very good. Donnacha was very impressed with him and we'll try not to go too quick with him.

"He should come forward and we can do a lot of stuff with him. We can come back for the Beresford or go seven furlongs."

READ THE FULL CURRAGH REPORT IN NEXT WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD