WHITE Birch doesn’t have any classic entries but that may well change via a supplementary fee in the coming weeks after he ran out a tough and honest winner of the Group 3 P.W. McGrath Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown last Sunday.

The John Murphy-trained son of Ulysses was a 22/1 shot taking on the might of Ballydoyle in this 10-furlong contest, but he wasn’t unfancied by those closest to him and in the end it was Joseph O’Brien’s Up And Under he had to get the better of, just sticking his head in front of that rival 50 yards from the line.

Prior to that the race was run strongly thanks to Serious Challenge, with his rider Rory Cleary keen to make his race fitness count. He may well have gone a little too hard in front and it was notable that the winner and runner-up raced in last and second last throughout the race.

Delivered

They both delivered their challenge wide in the straight, with the disappointing Alexandroupolis drifting into Up And Under when coming under pressure, who in turn swerved out to bump White Birch. It didn’t stop the momentum of the pair however, and it was White Birch that just got the verdict, responding well to the drive of Shane Foley.

Assistant trainer George Murphy said: “We’re delighted with that. He got a bump about a furlong or so down but he’s a very honest horse and stayed lengthening all the way to the line. We think he could be very, very good.

“We’ll have a chat with the owners and see where we’re going to go. He doesn’t have any classic entries but he might get a few now. We said we’ll learn a lot today going up to a mile and a quarter on this ground (heavy) and it was no issue to him.”

White Birch won his maiden impressively at Dundalk in November and was subsequently sold to Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, who owns the same trainer’s Charterhouse and for whom Murphy trained the smart two-year-old Big Time, second in 2013 Phoenix Stakes.

Double

Earlier Foley had already struck in the opening three-year-old fillies’ maiden with Curvature (5/1), who looked well in the parade ring beforehand and made it third time lucky for Jessica Harrington and Newtown Anner Stud.

The daughter of Lope De Vega broke well from a wide draw and made all, comfortably holding the challenge of Aidan O’Brien’s Warm Heart to win by three lengths. Her first two efforts were both at Dundalk, and though she ran well, connections had been a little disappointed.

She revelled on the heavy going here however and achieving blacktype is now the priority.

OFTEN highly touted, Never Ending Story (2/1) failed to make a significant impact in her juvenile season, but she issued a statement of intent with an impressive win on her first start at three in the Ballylinch Stud Priory Belle 1000 Guineas Trial.

Held up by Ryan Moore, she came with a well sustained challenge down the outside in the straight to get well on top of Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte, who had put up a fine effort from the front and initially kicking clear of her rivals on the turn for home.

A daughter of Dubawi out of a Camelot mare (Athena), the Coolmore partners-owned filly has lots of scope to improve in her classic year and perhaps more significantly, Aidan O’Brien outlined that her development from the winter still has more progress to undergo.

“She hasn’t really come yet,” O’Brien said. “We were running her here to help her along. You can see it in her coat. Ryan was delighted with her and she is a lovely filly. When she does come, she will really prosper.”

Newmarket

When asked if she will be considered for Newmarket, O’Brien replied: “Probably not, but you never know what might happen - it could happen for her in a week. The plan is for Meditate to go straight there. She can go to either France or stay at home.”

Kieran Cotter was delighted with the run of Matilda Picotte, suggesting she would have been harder to catch on a sounder surface. He didn’t rule out a 1000 Guineas bid but seemed to be slightly favouring the Commonwealth Cup for the daughter of Sioux Nation.

There was less depth to the colts’ trial, also backed by Ballylinch Stud and won by O’Brien with Hans Anderson (8/13).

He was most professional in the way he travelled and picked up for Moore, maintaining a comfortable advantage over the Jessica Harrington-trained Bold Discovery.

Fifth in the National Stakes last season, the son of Frankel didn’t need to improve on that form, but he could well progress through the season, with a step up in trip likely to aid him.

“We’re delighted with him,” O’Brien said. “He has the option of being an Irish Guineas horse or we could go to the French Guineas and on to the French Derby with him.

“He quickened very well, he is a good mover and more of a good ground horse. We couldn’t be happier with him.”

JOHNNY Murtagh got off the mark for the season courtesy of 20/1 shot Signora Bellissima in the Porsche Centre Dublin In Support Of Breast Cancer Ireland Handicap.

The Nick Bradley Racing Club-owned filly was given a fine front-running ride by Jamie Powell, who made the most of the low draw to find the lead early, stole a march on his rivals in the straight and just held off the storming late run of the well-backed favourite Valiant King.

The Elzaam filly showed ability on her penultimate start last season when fifth at Galway but struggled on her other two starts and had a mark of 73 for this, her handicap debut. She got an 8lb rise on Monday, but that seems warranted given she and the runner-up came five lengths clear. She has the scope to win again.

Tipperary native John Nallen, better known for trading National Hunt horses named under his Minella banner, sent out a rare flat winner when Cristal Cleere (13/2) ran out an impressive winner of the Breast Cancer Ireland Handicap.

Ridden by apprentice Sean Bowen, the five-year-old took over from the two pace-setters early in the straight and readily went clear to win by just under four lengths from Shane Crawley’s mare Karlsberg.

The son of Harzand had race fitness on side and with him due to go up 10lbs, he was sent out by Nallen to win again back at this track on Monday.

The final contest, a one-mile handicap, went to the well-backed favourite Purple Gown (6/5), who won for Jim Bolger and Luke McAteer.

The daughter of Teofilo ran very well on her debut when a close second to Razdan at the Curragh the previous weekend and was able to contend with a 6lb rise, when eventually getting the better of long-time leader Maggie And Me, the pair coming 11 lengths clear. The Jackie Bolger-owned winner will have a 9lb higher mark to contend with next time out.