Curragh wrap: Layfayette back in business

Layfayette served a reminder of his quality as he bounced back to his very best to land the Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh.

Noel Meade’s six-year-old was winning for the ninth time and it was perhaps unsurprising that he left a couple of lacklustre recent showings in the past at the scene of some of his finest hours.

Held up in rear in the early stages by Colin Keane, the son of French Navy began to make some stylish progress as the runners straightened for home and as the final furlong approached the 7-2 chance had the front-running Unless in his sights.

Aidan O’Brien’s Justify filly refused to lie down, but it was Layfayette who held all the momentum and surged ahead of the 15-8 favourite to register a going-away three-quarters of a length victory in the Group Three contest, with the stable’s Helvic Dream also staying on for third.

"He loves this place," trainer Noel Meade tells Fran Berry

Meade said: “I was disappointed in Naas, but he had to get some treatment on his back and he needed time off and just got stuffy. He blew up in Naas. I know that was over a mile and a half which stretches him a bit, but he’s an older horse and takes a bit of work.

“He loves this place. He loves the long straight and this place and Naas suits him well. In Group Twos and Group Threes he’s very competitive.

“He’ll probably go for the mile-and-a-half race on Champions Weekend in Leopardstown if there is an ease in the ground.

“Gary (Carroll) said that Helvic Dream gave him a great feel and moved well. We might try and stretch him out to a mile and a half because later in the year on the ground that he wants there are not that many races over a mile and a quarter.

“There horses are very hard to find, you don’t come across them too often for reasonable money.”

Asean sails to impressive triumph

Asean came with a storming run up the stands rail to record a most taking success in the Qatar Racing And Equestrian Club Irish EBF Curragh Stakes.

Donnacha O’Brien’s youngster had got off the mark in a Cork handicap when last seen and had no trouble handling the move to Listed company.

Ridden at the rear of the field, Gavin Ryan’s mount began to engage top gear over a furlong out and soared past her rivals in tremendous fashion.

The winning margin was half a length over Aidan O’Brien’s Alabama and there looks sure to be more to come from the 17-2 scorer.

“She travelled strong, she has a lot of speed and I thought Gavin gave her a brilliant ride,” said O’Brien. “She has a really good turn of foot and he rode her for that.

“She did it nicely in the end and it was a good performance.

“Gavin let her relax and they all started racing fairly early. He let it happen in front of him and I told him to have a go at them in the last furlong and that’s what he did.

“She quickened up really well and is obviously a smart filly. We’ll probably step her up into Group company now.

“She’s all speed and we’ll probably keep her to five. She’d probably stay six, but she is very comfortable at five.

“I’d say she loves quick ground, the quicker the better. She’s by Ten Sovereigns and he wanted it like the road.”

Shamida looks a staying filly to follow

Dermot Weld ended Joseph O’Brien’s stranglehold on the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes as Shamida showed both class and courage to hold off Dawn Rising and set up a Group One tilt.

O’Brien had won the last two runnings of the Group Three contest and, with Roger Varian’s Eldar Eldarov and Aidan O’Brien’s Library both non-runners for the staying challenge, the young trainer was ultimately responsible for three of the four runners that headed to post at the Curragh.

Despite having numbers on their side, the Owning Hill-trained trio had no answer to Shamida, who tracked the pace set by Royal Ascot scorer Okita Soushi before being asked by jockey Chris Hayes to stride on two furlongs from home.

Having proven her stamina when claiming the Stanerra Stakes over this trip at Leopardstown, Hayes knew he had a willing partner underneath him and once Okita Soushi was beaten off, she had plenty in reserve to repel the closing Dawn Rising deep inside the final furlong as Shamida returned a half-length verdict as the 5-4 favourite.

Dermot Weld hails his game winner and targets Arc weekend

Weld said: “She was in Cork on Friday night, but we withdrew her because of the ground. She’s a good-actioned filly and would never want the ground too soft.

“I’d say she will have one more run this year and I’d say it will be the Prix Royallieu, it’s the Group One mile-and-six for fillies and mares. It’s kind of written for her.

“This is a very game, tough three-year-old. She’s an immature filly and I think she will improve.

“Two of the horses there won at Royal Ascot and it was a very good trial.

“She’s a stayer with speed.”

1-2 for Eddie Lynam

Elsewhere, Eddie Lynam enjoyed a one-two in the Bord Na Mona Recycling Handicap, with the Ben Coen-ridden Jon Riggens (9-2) edging out James Ryan on 7-2 favourite Heavenly Power by a neck.

Lynam said: “Over the five on this sort of ground, especially the way the track is riding the last few days with the wind, he’s been struggling to make up the ground.

“I sent Dave Mason down to the gate with him today as he gets a bit buzzy with the open spaces here.

“When you ride them for luck it’s exactly what it says on the tin. If he hit the front a furlong down then I won’t use the jockey again and also he won’t finish in the first three. That’s the way he is.

“The other horse went out with his heart on his sleeve. I love both horses and it’s hard when one beats the other, but at least one of them has won.

“They will come back here next month for the Bold Lad.”