Racing: Profound Beauty maintained smooth progress towards the Melbourne Cup by landing back-to-back renewals of the Challenge Stakes at Leopardstown yesterday evening.
Dermot Weld’s five-year-old mare, fifth in the Flemington feature last year, eased to a three-length defeat of Yankee Doodle in this Listed event over a mile and six furlongs.
The 6-4 favourite, who was ridden by Pat Smullen, had beaten that same rival into third place in the Curragh Cup last month.
Weld said: “She’s a class act and she’s an absolute joy to train. She’s a very relaxed, self-contained type and she takes everything very well.
“They went a very nice gallop and it was a true-run race.
“The long-term target is the Melbourne Cup, but we will have a look at Yorkshire Oaks and the Irish St Leger — they are both possibilties.”
Cabaret made all of the running to win the Group Three Silver Flash Stakes.
With Ballydoyle stablemate Famous having been declared a non-runner, Johnny Murtagh replaced Seamie Heffernan aboard the 2-1 shot. It was to prove a wise decision as Murtagh’s mount burst out of stall five in the seven-furlong assignment — and never saw another rival.
Kitty Kiernan initially tried to keep tabs on the recent Curragh scorer, but Cabaret was in no mood for compromise.
Kicking clear at the one-furlong pole, Aidan O’Brien’s filly had four and a half lengths in reserve over Alshahbaa, with Kitty Kiernan tiring into third.
Murtagh, also successful in the opening claimer with Hard Rock City, secured a hat-trick when Viscount Nelson obliged 30 minutes later.
O’Brien’s royally-bred colt kicked on from his debut third at the Curragh to vindicate 1-4 favouritism in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
“He’s a lovely horse, he’s still very green and we’re very happy with him,” added the trainer. “He will never win his races by very far he just does what he has to do.
“We will try pick up a Listed or Group race for him next.”