Innisfree provided Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending 19th success in the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

It is 23 years since the Ballydoyle handler first landed the prestigious juvenile contest with Johan Cruyff, since when he has saddled the likes of Septimus (2005), St Nicholas Abbey (2009), Saxon Warrior (2017) and last year's hero Japan to claim victory.

O'Brien was triple-handed in this year's renewal following the declaration stage, but with both Cormorant and Royal County Down taken out, Innisfree ended up being his sole representative.

Having filled the runner-up spot behind stable companion Year Of The Tiger on his racecourse debut at Naas in early July, the son of Galileo went one better when justifying odds-on favouritism on the opening day of the Galway Festival.

He was once again a short price to give O'Brien a ninth straight win in this Group Two contest and landed the odds as the 4-6 favourite, but not before making his supporters sweat before collecting their winnings.

Dermot Weld's Shekhem - beaten just a neck by Innisfree at Galway and since a comprehensive winner at Listowel - took the five runners along for much of the one-mile journey, with Innisfree positioned in second by the trainer's son Donnacha.

The market leader moved alongside racing inside the final furlong, but Shekhem refused to go down without a fight and in the end Innisfree was all out to beat his old rival by a neck for the second time.