Ryan Moore bagged two winners at Leopardstown on Thursday evening but he had to settle for second place in the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glencairn Stakes behind Moon De Vega.

Considered good enough to run in the Oaks at Epsom last year when trained by Ralph Beckett, Moon De Vega was picked up for 98,000gns earlier this year and sent to Paddy Twomey's Co Tipperary yard.

With a tongue-tie fitted, she made a winning Irish debut at Gowran Park last month and was sent off the 15/8 favourite for this Leopardstown listed contest. The market leader hit the front deep inside the final furlong when taking over from Vega Magnifico and ultimately had a neck to spare over the strong-finishing Salt Lake City, with Moore on board.

Paddy Twomey said: “She’s a nice filly to have. She won her winners’ race and now she’s after winning her listed race. I thought initially that nine furlongs might be a bit sharp for her, but she did it well in Gowran over nine and a half and Billy said there that she’s very comfortable at that distance.

“I’d say she’ll go for the Kilboy Stakes on Oaks weekend, it’s nine furlongs and a Group 3. That would be the logical next step. We haven’t been hard on her at home so hopefully she can keep improving.”

Ballydoyle double

An hour later Moore partnered Tower Of London to a decisive victory in the Listed King George V Cup over a mile and a half for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

The same combination clicked earlier on the card when Buttons just grasped a debut success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

The two-year-old is by Kingman and out of the 2011 Oaks runner-up Wonder Of Wonders, with Ryan Moore opting to ride her ahead of her equally well-bred stablemate Content.

Wayne Lordan took the ride on the latter, by Galileo out of Mecca’s Angel, and the two were engaged in a very tight finish with Ger Lyons’ Serious Notions.

On the line Content was visibly beaten, but the judge had to split the other two fillies and Buttons was eventually announced the winner by a nose.

“We’re delighted with her. We rushed her a little bit to get her out because we thought she could be a Chesham filly, but Ryan just said she’s too babyish for that,” said O’Brien.

“We’ll just pull back and give her a bit of time before we go again.

“Ryan said even though she’s by Kingman she will stay and seven (furlongs) would be her minimum. She was green turning and everything. She’s a very well-bred filly.

“Wayne’s filly finished very strong and she’s a well-bred filly as well.”