THERE was only a neck separating them in a Galway maiden 62 days previously and the margin of victory was the same between Innisfree and Shekhem as they served up a gripping finale to the Group 2 Beresford Stakes from which the former once again emerged victorious.

Aidan O’Brien has dominated this race like no other in the Irish pattern and since Johan Cruyff gave him his first Beresford triumph in 1996, this one-mile contest has only eluded his grasp on five occasions. This time the Ballydoyle trainer relied on just Innisfree who was the 4/6 favourite to join a roll of honour whose recent members include Saxon Warrior and Japan.