Noel Meade appears to have a potential Classic contender on his hands after Caught U Looking powered home to secure top honours in the Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh.
Sixth on her debut at the track in late June, the daughter of Harzand showed the benefit of that initial experience when bolting up by six lengths on her second start at Leopardstown.
The youngster had not been seen since that runaway victory two months ago, but proved her worth stepped up to Group Three level in the hands of Ben Coen.
Always travelling well on the outside of the field, Caught U Looking went through the gears quickly when asked for her effort to pick up favourite Sakti and prevail by half a length as a 4-1 chance.
Meade said: "That’s super. Obviously after she won so easy in Leopardstown there was plenty of interest in her. Tony O’Callaghan and Peter (Kelly), who bred her, own her and despite all the horses he has, Tony wasn’t for selling. He just wanted to keep her and said to roll the dice and see how she goes.
"Obviously there is a little bit of pressure on when you do that. Peter was happy enough to do that as well.
"She’s a good filly and she’s a filly that will improve because she’s a Harzand. She’s going to be better next year, and is probably a mile-and-a-half filly."
He added: "I hope we can keep her. You keep hoping she can get up to the top, I know she only just won but obviously Ger (Lyons, trainer of Sakti) thinks quite a lot of his and you are always running against something decent from Ballydoyle. It’s hard to win a stakes race in Ireland.
"Everything is open now and we can dream a bit now. I put her in the Guineas the other day and we’ll enter her in the Oaks as well.
"She’s in the Fillies’ Mile next month but I wouldn’t imagine that will happen now, we’ll wait and let her mature."
Go Athletico (7-2) could line up in next weekend's Prix de l’Abbaye after registering a battling victory in the Westgrove Hotel Renaissance Stakes.
A Listed winner at Cork on his stable debut for Ado McGuinness in mid-June, the high-class French recruit had since filled the runner-up berth in both the Group Two Sapphire Stakes and the Group Three Phoenix Sprint.
Under Ronan Whelan, the five-year-old showed plenty of tenacity to go with his undoubted talent to get the better of a sustained duel with Big Gossey by half a length in this Group Three contest.
Aesop’s Fables was a further five and a half lengths behind in third, with the heavily supported favourite Ocean Quest only fourth.
Of the winner, McGuinness said: "He’s in the Abbaye next week. We ran him here because it was giving it to be quite a dry week. He might travel but if it is dry, we won’t run him.
"I have to speak to Barry (Irwin, racing manager for part-owners Team Valor) first. There is a big possibility that he goes as there isn’t a whole pile left for him (this year).
"He deserved to get it today, he’s been very consistent. He’s been a great horse for me, he’s only had four runs and hit the ground running. I’m very lucky and privileged to have him.
"There’s been very little between him and Ken Condon’s horse (Moss Tucker) all year and if he’s fancied for the Abbaye next week, we won’t be too far behind him. Fingers crossed, he could go there."
Magellan Strait (150-1) caused a huge surprise in the Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch .
Although a dual winner as a three-year-old last season, Joseph O'Brien’s inmate had shown precious little in four previous starts this term, most recently finishing tailed off at the Galway Festival.
With 7lb claimer Hugh Horgan in the saddle, Magellan Strait was among the rank outsiders for a 30-runner contest staged in atrocious conditions, but came out on top at the end of a pulsating contest.
The son of Australia raced in third position for much of the two-mile-one-furlong journey before committing for home three furlongs from the finish.
He was soon joined by the strong-travelling My Mate Mozzie and Galway Hurdle runner-up Jesse Evans, while the winner’s stablemate Dawn Rising and Falcon Eight also joined the party late to set up a grandstand five-way finish.
Falcon Eight was arguably coming home strongest of all, but Magellan Strait clung on grimly to claim the lion’s share of the huge prize fund of €600,000 by half a length, with Dawn Rising, Jesse Evans and My Mate Mozzie all close up behind in third, fourth and fifth respectively.
"It’s a fantastic win. A great run and a great ride from Hugh," said O’Brien.
"He’s not been the most consistent horse in the world, but when he runs his race he generally runs a good race. Hugh got a great tune out of him today.
"He stays very well and stamina has always been his thing. That’s what he did today, he outstayed them.
"Hugh’s instructions were to go forward, get a nice position, and make sure that stamina counted and to go out on his sword. He committed at the bottom of the straight and he kept galloping."
Aidan O'Brien raised the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster as a potential next port of call for Gasper De Lemos (9-4F) after the promising colt ground out a first career victory.
The son of Justify shaped with promise when fourth on his racecourse debut at Leopardstown behind stablemate Chief Little Rock, who on Saturday finished second in the Group Two Beresford Stakes.
On the strength of that form, Gasper De Lemos was favourite on his second start in the Pat "The Duke" Leavy Irish EBF Maiden, with Ryan Moore taking the ride having hurried back from Australia.
Ridden positively from the off, the youngster came under pressure with over two furlongs still to run, but kept pulling out more and was well on top as he passed the post three lengths clear of Taraj.
O’Brien said: "He had a lovely run the first time. Obviously he’ll be very happy going back up to a mile and he’ll be a middle-distance horse next year.
"It’s tough out there and they have to stay to get it.
"He’s probably a Futurity Trophy horse more than a Dewhurst horse. He’ll get further, he’s like all those Justifys, when they go up in distance they grow a leg.
"He’s a very good mover so I’m surprised he handles the ground. He’s a lovely actioned horse."
Gibbs Island (16-1) opened his account at the third attempt with a narrow victory in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden.
Sixth and fourth in his first two races at Fairyhouse and Roscommon respectively, Andrew Oliver’s youngster raised his game to come out on top in a nip-and-tuck finish by a head from from Mo Ghille Mar, with Marty The Party and Slaney Swagger right on their heels in behind.
"He did it well. He had to grind it out," said Oliver.
"He’s a full-brother to a good horse that Godolphin owns (Live Your Dream). I trained the half-brother Dream Tale so I know the family a bit.
"He had a nice run at Roscommon and we knew that stepping up in trip should be in his favour. He stayed every yard of the mile and it was a likeable performance.
"I was just saying to Billy (Lee, jockey) that we might look at the Eyrefield Stakes at the end of the year, it’s nine furlongs at Leopardstown. We’ll make a decision in the next week or two."
