THE progressive and talented Ottoman Emperor made it three wins on the spin and signalled himself ready to test his mettle at a higher level as he turned in a very likeable effort to win the 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race for Shane Kelly and Johnny Murtagh.

The OTI Racing-owned son of Excelebration lined up as the winner of a Cork maiden and a Gowran handicap, a success he achieved off a mark of 90, and he took a further step forward to brush aside the favourite Tazaral. Both the latter and the winner improved past the front-running Matchless with well over a furlong to run and Ottoman Emperor was just too strong over the last furlong as he maintained a strong gallop to prevail by a length and a quarter.