CAMORRA headed a spectacular start to Irish Derby Weekend for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane as he took his form to a new high with victory in the Group 2 Comer Group International Curragh Cup which was the centrepiece of a treble for the pair.

The five-year-old, who won a Group 3 on Irish Champions Weekend last September, had been plotting his way towards a crack at York’s Ebor Handicap. However a change of plan and a possible crack at the Melbourne Cup could now be on the agenda for the son of Zoffany who stepped forward markedly on the form of his first two runs this season to strike at 10/1.

Owned by Sean Jones, David Spratt and the trainer’s wife, Lynne, Camorra was nicely placed in third for Colin Keane on the approach to the straight. He still had plenty of running to give entering the last couple of furlongs and then dug in well under pressure over the course of the last furlong to defeat the former Group 1-winning juvenile Gear Up by a length.

“We had been thinking of the Ebor with him but after he crossed the line here I got a text from David (Spratt) saying Melbourne Cup, so that is where he could be heading,” said Lyons. “He’s matured into a lovely horse and we always thought of him as a soft-ground horse, but he surprised us when winning on top of the ground at Leopardstown last September.”

A good run on classic weekends with his two-year-old newcomers continued for Lyons as Slan Abhaile (11/1) made a striking debut in the Brentford FC Sponsors The Garden Province Irish EBF Maiden over six furlongs.

Travelled strongly

This daughter of Territories was travelling strongly but had plenty to do against the stand’s side rail approaching the last couple of furlongs. Keane deftly moved her out to the middle of the track to get some racing room and she took off over the last furlong and a quarter to run down Victoria Road and win going away by a length and a quarter.

“This filly was very immature and we’ve given her plenty of time and she looks smart. Colin hasn’t ridden her much at home and he was impressed and she’s a nice filly. She’ll improve plenty from her,” commented Lyons.

Mutasarref supplied the middle leg of the treble with a commanding victory off top weight in the Hollywoodbets-sponsored 60-90 rated seven-furlong handicap.

The Eleanora Kennedy-owned 9/4 favourite appeared to do everything his leisure here and cruised up to join the leaders around a quarter of a mile from home. After striking the front with a furlong to run he got home by half a length from All In The Mind, but he probably had more to spare than the winning margin might suggest.

“This is his trip,” stated Lyons. “I don’t think he stayed a mile here on Guineas weekend and before that he was a bit unlucky at Cork. All roads lead to Irish Champions Weekend with him (the Sovereign Path Handicap at Leopardstown) and that is where you will see him next.”

Story off to a good start for O’Brien

NEVER Ending Story signalled that she will be a formidable contender for some major prizes later in the season with success in the Westgrove Hotel Irish EBF Fillies Maiden over seven furlongs.

This often informative affair, in which Discoveries defeated Tuesday last year, attracted an interesting field, but Ryan Moore’s mount was much the best as she built on a debut third to Zarinsk here last month.

The 8/11 favourite travelled powerfully through the race, led around two furlongs out and ran out a ready length-and-a-quarter winner over Stone Age’s juvenile half-sister Sandy Creek.

“She had a lovely run the first day and was very happy up to seven furlongs here,” O’Brien said. “Ryan was happy and Dean who rides her out every morning felt she had come forward lovely from her first run. The Debutante and the Moyglare are the races you’d be looking at with her.”

Four for Keane

As well as reeling off a treble for Ger Lyons, Colin Keane bagged the concluding Hollywoodbets Experience Irish EBF Handicap over two miles as Maze Runner (3/1) led home a one-two for Willie Mullins.

A very useful staying hurdler, this Jackie Mullins-owned gelding made short work of his rivals as he surged clear over the last couple of furlongs to finish with five and a half lengths to spare. A tape start for this race proved messy and there were two false starts before the race got underway.

“It was a generous gallop and I think he enjoyed that,” said Mullins. “That might get him qualified for the Irish Cesarewitch. We are all looking forward to that as it’s huge prize money. In the meantime he could go to Galway for the staying handicap hurdle on the Saturday or the amateur race on the Monday.”

Practice powers home late

FOR the second time in three years the DNG Apprentice Derby went to Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle as the J.P. McManus-owned Common Practice justified 3/1 favouritism.

The lightly raced three-year-old had campaigned exclusively over seven furlongs prior to this, but this much longer trip of a mile and a half proved to be within his reach and he needed virtually every yard of it to overhaul Alma Libre in the straight.

The latter clung on bravely in front but in the final yards he gave best to O’Brien’s charge who was building on a good run in a Listowel handicap earlier in the month.

“He finished well and hit the line strongly. The trip was a bit of a concern beforehand but he got it well,” remarked O’Brien.

Natalia Lupini’s Dunum (5/2) continued his rise up the ranks as he made it three wins on the bounce in the Hollywoodbets-sponsored 50-75 rated nine-furlong handicap.

After overcoming wide draws to win Gowran handicaps in recent weeks, the four-year-old was handed a much more favourable low draw this time and he made good use of it to take up a good position in behind the leaders. In a terrific four-way finish Dunum was produced to hold every chance by Wayne Lordan with a furlong to run and he fought on splendidly to edge out Grappa Nonino by a neck.

“Wayne gave him a brilliant ride as always and it’s great to have a runner here on Derby Weekend let alone a winner. It’s great for his owners Maurice Burns and Michael McCartan and we felt with the good draw he had a good chance. He’s a versatile horse in terms of ground and trip,” reported the trainer.