Colm O'Donoghue was able to breathe a sigh of relief after Bocca Baciata just held off the fast-finishing Discipline in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes at Gowran.
Jessica Harrington's four-year-old looked the class act on paper in the Listed contest and despite missing the break she appeared a cut above her rivals for much of the journey.
Having moved through smoothly O'Donoghue swept past Discipline, who had won her only race to date, and went two lengths clear.
With the race in the bag with half a furlong to run, O'Donoghue looked behind him and eased down markedly, after which Pat Smullen scented an opportunity.
Dermot Weld's filly was closing down all the way to the line but the 6-4 favourite held on by a rapidly-diminishing head. The pair were six lengths clear of the third, Steip Amach.
Harrington said: "I'd already looked away, I was on the bottom stand as she was well clear but she did it very easily as she was giving a lot of weight to the other filly, I was delighted with her.
"I thought she was entitled to win today, even giving the weight away.
"She's in a lot of races, I'll talk to everybody and see what they want to do."
Dermot Weld hopes to claim some black type with Shamreen who landed the odds in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden.
The 8-11 favourite having finished third and second on her two runs to date, she made nearly all the running under Pat Smullen.
Running over nearly 10 furlongs, she was going strongest at the finish suggesting she will be better over further, pulling two and a quarter lengths clear of Shes An Art.
Weld said: "The maiden she was second in at Leopardstown was a very strong race. That was a good workmanlike performance, and she's a filly I like.
"She is beautifully bred and progressive. I hope to get black type with her during the year. She's very relaxed and genuine.
"That sort of trip is about right for her, and she would always appreciate a little ease in the ground."
