REST OF THE CARD

GER Lyons became just the fifth Irish-based trainer to win the GAIN Railway Stakes in the last 20 years as Medicine Jack bested Peace Envoy to earn a crack at Group 1 level later in the season.

As he looked to build on a maiden win at Navan in May, the Sean Jones-owned Medicine Jack was returned at 13/2. After biding his time in midfield the €28,000 yearling purchase came through to deliver his challenge entering the last furlong.

From here on the outcome concerned only the Lyons inmate and the Rochestown Stakes winner Peace Envoy, who was fourth in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot. Peace Envoy had the advantage of the stands’ side rail but he could not withstand Medicine Jack who prevailed by half a length.

“He’s still only half a horse and my worry beforehand was whether he was mature enough, but he did what we thought he could do,” said Lyons.

“I felt if (stablemate and fourth) King Electric could run well this horse would be thereabouts. Hopefully we’ll now have him and Psychedelic Funk for the Phoenix Stakes. Colin got a terrible fall earlier in the day and it just shows you how quickly it can go one way or the other in racing, but happily both Colin and Gary Halpin were okay.”

The Irish Lincoln hero Sruthan (10/1) bounced back to form in style in the Dubai Duty Free Millenium Millionaire Celebration Stakes. The Paul Deegan stalwart had nowhere to go on the rail at one point in the straight and it looked as though he might struggle to get a run.

However, Colm O’Donoghue, who was riding the Robert Ng-owned gelding for the first time, deftly switched him out to the middle of the track nearing the last furlong. From there Sruthan finished out his race with a real flourish and he swept past last year’s winner Sovereign Debt and Hint Of A Tint late on to score by three-quarters of a length.

“Nothing went right for him but Colm was very good,” stated Deegan. “He’s getting a little cuter as he gets older so the cheek pieces were a help. He does like a little ease in the ground and the ground will determine where we run him between now and the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend.”

DEEGAN’S DAY

Papa’s Way (20/1) capped a memorable day for Deegan in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship EBF Handicap over two miles. The teak-tough six-year-old made most of the running for Chris Hayes. Modem charged home to force a bobbing finish, but Papa’s Way’s efforts weren’t in vain as he edged the photo by a nose.

“The last day in Limerick (third) he ran a blinder but just didn’t came down the hill that well on the quick ground,” stated Deegan, who trains the winner for Rosha Lyttle. “Galway would be in the back of our minds.”

Toscanini (4/1) showed that he could yet emerge as a notable force in the sprinting division with a game success in the Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Creekside Dash Stakes. Michael Halford’s charge possibly hasn’t quite realised his full potential, but this listed success was a notable step in the right direction.

The Godolphin-owned gelding helped to force the pace against the stands’ side rail and, to his credit, he responded to Shane Foley in the last furlong to hold the oncoming Flight Risk by a head. The former Group 1 winner G Force, who was returning to action following a brief period at stud, finished a respectable fifth.

“He’s always been a talented horse and we gelded him when he came back from Dubai,” reported Halford.

“We put a hood on him today and he relaxed very well. We’ll probably stick to six furlongs with him now. Shane said that when the other horse came to him he really wanted it today.”

On his debut for Gavin Cromwell, Breathe Easy improved on last year’s runner-up finish to claim a dramatic Paddy Power Handicap, whose conclusion made for a chilling spectacle. Wayne Lordan and the front-running Breathe Easy were clinging on grimly entering the last furlong as Johann Bach threw down a strong challenge.

However, the latter seemed to take a false step, which resulted in a crashing fall and he, in turn, brought down Elusive Heights. Happily Gary Halpin, Colin Keane and both horses emerged all emerged unscathed. This meelee left the Everina Kilfeather-owned Breathe Easy (13/2) with an unassailable lead and he came home with four and a half lengths to spare over Duchess Andorra.

“It was his first run of the year but I thought he was pretty straight for this,” remarked Cromwell. “It was very unfortunate what happened, although Wayne felt he wasn’t done with at the time. I’d say we’ll look at Galway and the Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap (formerly Topaz) on the Tuesday.”

The card began with a smooth performance from Aidan O’Brien’s Intelligence Cross (10/11) in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise EBF Maiden over six furlongs. The War Front colt was just touched off on his debut over this course and distance three weeks previously.

Ryan Moore had him in the front rank throughout and he only needed to be pushed along to take command over the course of the last furlong. At the line Intelligence Cross had a length and a half to spare over the front running newcomer Khukri.

Aidan O’Brien reported: “He’s a big, powerful horse with a lot of speed and I’d say that he will stay at six furlongs for the time being.

“We’ll look at the July Stakes for him now. He loves fast ground and Ryan said the ground didn’t feel at all bad on him.”

Chris Hayes was another to end Derby day with a double as he followed up his win on Papa’s Way by landing the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises Summer Fillies Handicap on Kevin Prendergast’s Penny Pepper (10/1). On what may well have been the final start of her career, the in-foal mare was deservedly adding to the maiden win she recorded here in April 2015.

The strong travelling Penny Pepper had this race in the bag from the moment she strode to the front a quarter of a mile from home and she finished with two and a quarter lengths to spare over Molly Dolly. The daughter of Fast Company carries the colours of her breeder John Tuthill.

“She had a terrible draw last time on quick ground (finished unplaced) and nothing went right for her,” reflected Hayes.

“After that the boss earmarked this race and he felt that if the ground came up easy that she would go close. I got there about an hour too soon on her!”