Chelsea Rose was a shock 10-1 winner of the Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown as she saw off Vinnie Roe and Shalapour at the Foxrock track. Con Collins' charge flew at the death in the Listed mile-and-a-half race to deny John Oxx's Shalapour victory by three-quarters of a length, with Vinnie Roe coming home in third.
The victorious three-year-old landed the Moyglare Stud Stakes as a juvenile but had disappointed on her last two runs, finishing ninth in both the Pretty Polly and the Irish Oaks. However, connections now have their eyes on a crack at the Group Two Blandford Stakes at the Curragh on September 18.
"She is very tough and genuine and the horses are only now starting to run well," said Collins' daughter Tracey.
"She will now probably run next in a nine-furlong Listed race at the Curragh on September 4 and then go back there for the Blandford."
Shalapour was having just his fifth career start after finishing third in the Irish Derby, with Paddy Power leaving him unchanged at 5-1 for the Ladbrokes St Leger on September 10, although the sponsors eased him to 6-1 from 5s and shortened Scorpion into even money from 5-4.
"I was happy with him, he ran a good race," Oxx told At The Races. "I wasn't expecting his best form today, he has been a little bit rusty at home and wasn't quite in the form he was in coming up to the Irish Derby. He had a winning chance but I'm not surprised he got beaten and hopefully he'll come on a good bit for it. He'll need to improve to win (the St Leger) but I think he will."
Dermot Weld's Vinnie Roe was bidding to win the Ballyroan for a third time following victories in 2002 and 2003, with the race being used as a prep for his bid to win the Irish Field St Leger for an unprecedented fifth time. The seven-year-old kicked clear on the turn for home but could not repel the challengers in the closing stages.
Jockey Pat Smullen said: "I was very pleased with him - he was giving a stone to the winner and the ground was a bit too quick for him. He hasn't got the pace for a mile and half anymore but that will have left him spot-on for the St Leger (on September 10)."
Oxx found the winner's enclosure later on when his improving Caradak landed a thrilling renewal of the Group Three Desmond Stakes. Darryll Holland kicked off the home turn on Neville Callaghan's Hazyview but the pair were sitting ducks for the hat-trick seeking Cadarak, with Mick Kinane driving the 4-5 favourite to the front inside the final furlong.
Mustameet put down a strong challenge close to the line and forced the result to go to a photograph, the official distance being a short head, with Mick Channon's Majestic Desert taking third in the mile contest.
"He is capable of better than that, that wasn't as good as his last run and it was just his courage that got him through," said Oxx.
"I think he is better at seven furlongs than a mile, that stretches him a bit. We were intending to go for the Celebration Mile at Goodwood or even the Prix du Moulin, but I think we'll give that a miss now, we'll give him a break and freshen him up."
