Septimus made a victorious comeback with a game display in the High Chaparral EBF Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh. Out of action since returning sore from last year's Vodafone Derby, the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt took this Group Three heat in good style under Seamus Heffernan.
The 2006 Dante Stakes winner was in second place early on as Championship Point, representing Mick Channon and Darryll Holland, made the early running.
Septimus (4-1) laid down an irresistible challenge in the final quarter of a mile, however, and stayed on strongly to hold Fracas by a length and a half and complete a double for the Ballydoyle handler. Championship Point was third, with the Geoff Wragg-trained Grand Passion fourth.
O'Brien said: ‘He did that very well - he's a very tough horse. Considering he's been off the track since the Derby that was great as he came back from that race a bit sore.
‘It's now possible we'll leave him off for an autumn campaign - I think he could be a serious horse in the autumn.’
The disappointment of the race was last year's winner, the Kevin Prendergast-trained Mustameet (even-money favourite), who finished sixth.
O'Brien and Heffernan were completing a 7-1 double having earlier struck with smart two-year-old Warsaw in the Coolmore Stakes. The colt was smartly out of the gate and picked up the tempo a furlong out to stride away from his rivals.
The 8-13 favourite, a Leopardstown winner over six furlongs on his debut two weeks earlier, was not inconvenienced by the drop to the minimum trip and ran out a length-and-a-half victor from The Loan Express.
Warsaw earned a 25-1 quote with William Hill for next year's Stan James 2000 Guineas.
O'Brien said: ‘There's plenty of length to him. He did it effortlessly and we'll keep him to five or six furlongs for the moment.’
It was a red-letter day for Heffernan, who made it a 104-1 treble when taking the Ad Valorem Handicap on Kyles Bay (12-1) for Caroline Hutchinson.
Jim Bolger followed Sunday's 1000 Guineas success with Finsceal Beo when Creachadoir won the Aussie Rules EBF Tetrarch Stakes.
The King's Best colt, who holds an entry in the Boylesports 2000 Guineas back at the Curragh, hit the front a furlong out and ran on strongly for Kevin Manning. Creachadoir, the 11-4 favourite, was involved in some crowding on the far side before the elbow but soon got a good position as Mr Napper Tandy set the pace.
British raider Mr Napper Tandy, trained by Channon and ridden by Holland, stuck on well for second place, three lengths behind the easy winner.
Bolger said: ‘The Irish Guineas is definitely on the agenda now.’
Eastern Appeal sprang a surprise for trainer Michael Halford and jockey Rory Cleary in the Oratorio EBF Athasi Stakes. The 10-1 shot flashed past Bolger's 13-8 favourite Modeeroch in the last 50 yards to take this Group Three contest by a neck.
The winning stable's first string Deauville Vision came fast and late to snatch third place.
Halford said: ‘It was a little bit of a surprise but I thought it was worth taking a chance. She improved steadily all last year and had a good first run this year.’
‘Seven is her ideal trip and she handled the quicker ground batter than Deauville Vision. She too has run well too but the trip was maybe a bit sharp for her and there was no real pace in the race. She was caught for a little bit of toe. We'll step her up to a mile next.
‘I'm thrilled for Rory and it will help him get going now after he lost his claim. He deserves every bit of it and is a good jockey in the making. He proved it today,’ the Curragh-based handler told At The Races.
Halford was denied a quick double when Balakan was caught by King Rama (8-1) in the dying strides of the Ivan Denisovich Handicap. Johnny Murtagh looked to have seen off all the opposition but the 5-2 favourite had no answer to Mick Kinane's late surge on John Kiely's six-year-old, who prevailed by a neck.
