THE Frankie Dettori farewell tour rolled into Down Royal, but the legendary jockey was out of luck on his first two rides at the track with a best finish of third aboard No Thanks behind Crassus in The Grant Thornton Ulster Cesarewitch Handicap.

Dettori sent his mount into the lead six furlongs out in this two miles and two furlong staying-test and his partner was game off the front, however, the duo were caught inside the final furlong and it was Crassus and Colin Keane who swept home by a decisive five and a half lengths at 11/2.

Noel Meade, who was winning this race for the fourth time in the last five years, said: “Frankie actually made it for him as he set it up for us. He got them racing early and they followed him. He (Crassus) was able to come through which was great.

“It is fantastic for Seamus (Hunt, owner) and his wife and kids, one of his daughters works for Grant Thornton. They were all here.

“More of the same for this fella, he will probably go to the Curragh for a two-mile race on the day of the (Irish) Cesarewitch, it is a 0-90.”

Winning bracket

Keane was earlier successful on the 85-rated Ashwiyaa grabbed a winning bracket for Michael O’Callaghan in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden.

The Sioux Nation juvenile had been placed three times and was also third in a Group 2 at the Curragh in July.

The 2/1 favourite tracked the leaders in this five-furlong sprint and Keane moved her closer approaching the final furlong before they picked up the lead 150 yards out. A victory, in the colours of the trainer’s wife, was secured by a length and a quarter.

The trainer said: “Colin said she might be made for that five-furlong listed race in Dundalk. She has strengthened up a lot over the summer and, if she keeps doing that, she could win a little stakes race somewhere.”

SMULLEN’S Pride returned off a break to land the Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF Maiden over five furlongs for owner Ivan Holloway.

She was away smartly from an outside stall and raced prominently before leading after a couple of furlongs. Dylan Browne McMonagle kept the 5/2 joint-favourite up to her work to come home by half a length.

“She was entitled to win that. It was an ideal opportunity. She had a couple of little problems throughout the year, so I didn’t get to run her,” trainer Johnny Feane said.

“Drawn wide and she pinged the gates, travelled really well and picked up well. There’s a 50-90 here in a few weeks for three-year-olds only and we’ll come back for that.”

Morning-price favourite Bright Stripes was a non-runner in The Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden due to a stone bruise and Jim Bolger’s Sli Na Ghealai took full advantage.

The 10/11 favourite made all under Rory Cleary over the extended seven furlongs and asserted at the furlong pole to score by four lengths.

Travelling head man Ger Flynn said: “Plenty of placed form and she is not winning out of turn. Rory said he was going to keep it simple - jump and run as she had the best form in the race.

“If she put it together, that is what she is capable of doing. It is nice to get the bracket for her, the boss and Mrs Bolger (owner).”

MICHAEL Mulvany and Wesley Joyce teamed up for another winner through Velvet Skies in the Grant Thornton Nursery Handicap.

The 5/1 shot made headway for Joyce inside the final two furlongs and the pair worked their way to the front approaching the final 100 yards.

They forged on to win by three-quarters of a length from The Bear Trap. Finsceal Annie finished third, but was demoted to fourth by the stewards, due to interference at the road crossing, with Expecto promoted to third.

Mulvany said: “I was actually a little disappointed the last day (in fifth at the Curragh), I thought we would have been closer. He’s still learning on the job. I’d say he is versatile enough over six and seven. The son of Buratino won in owner Frank McNulty’s colours.

Breakthrough

Owner/trainer Dick Brabazon’s God Knows (16/5 favourite) made the breakthrough on her seventh start in the Children’s Heartbeat Trust Handicap.

Jamie Powell pushed her along to lead a furlong and a half from home and she soon had her rivals in trouble. The Divine Prophet filly saw out the extended 10 furlongs really well as she posted a three-and-a-half-length success.

Powell said: “Travelled around well and picked up off it, so hopefully she is going the right way.

“He (Brabazon) was (filling me with confidence today), we knew she would be bang there. I spoke to Mark Gallagher this morning as well and he thought she would take a bit of beating.”

Fitnesss

Hidden Land hadn’t been out since April, but certainly wasn’t lacking in fitness in the Grant Thornton Handicap over an extended mile and a half.

The easy-to-back 11/1 shot soon led for Luke McAteer and began to increase her advantage at the half-way stage. She powered clear over a furlong out and kept up the gallop to score by four and a half lengths.

Delighted trainer Andrew Kinirons said: “Luke gave her a brilliant ride, he knows her very well. We gave her a bit of a break over the summer and she came back fresh. She was down to her last winning mark on the flat.

“Peter (Byrne), the owner, is here for the day - he is based in Liverpool and is actually originally a local man.”