Racing:Dermot Weld's Bethrah (16-1) got up in the dying strides to prevail in a blanket finish for the Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh. Owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, the Marju filly hit overdrive inside the final furlong for Pat Smullen and sneaked up a tiny gap on the rail.
Godolphin’s Anna Salai looked to be going best with two furlongs to run but was narrowly denied by a head in second, with Mick Channon’s Music Show, the 3-1 favourite, in third.
Full Of Hope, one of the Ballydoyle battalion, took the field along with the likes of Lady Darshaan, Gile Na Greine and Anna Salai in close attendance.
However, Jim Bolger Gile Na Greine dropped away at the three pole while the likes of Termagant, Lolly for Dolly and Lady Springbank were never involved.
Anna Salai took it up under Ahmed Ajtebi over a furlong out but is was Aidan O'Brien's Remember When who briefly flattered.
She never quite got there and ended up fourth, with stablemate Lillie Langtry just behind.
Weld's filly was giving the master of Rosewell his third Irish 1000 Guineas after Trusted Partner (1988) and Nightime (2006).
Weld said: "You can never be confident but I knew she would represent us very well.
"She is tough and very genuine and has progressed over the winter. We've done a lot of work with her at the stalls and she is a lot more confident these days and went in perfectly today.
"She's a very progressive filly and has battled her way forward. I need to talk to Angus Gold (racing manager) and the Sheikh himself and we'll make a plan from there, but she might go 10 furlongs next as I don't see her just limited to a mile.
"That's the fourth time I've won the 1,000 Guineas so I'm very pleased."
Smullen added: "I'm not surprised she has won and I've always thought she was a very good filly.
"She progressed from her first run of the season to Leopardstown and she progressed again after that. I didn't know if she would win, but I thought she would put up a very good performance.
"She got me out of trouble and with 19 runners there was not a whole lot of room, it was a fair performance and she's always shown talent. The plan will be up to the boss, but I think the logical thing will be to go for the Coronation at Ascot."
Godolphin's racing manager Simon Crisford said of the runner-up: "She's run a super race and we are very pleased, she's handled the ground well enough.
"She's well entered in all of the mile fillies' race and she should stay further too. We'll look at either the Coronation or the Prix de Diane."
Channon is still seeking an elusive Classic success and said of Music Show: "There are no excuses, she's had a good run through but they just got away from her up the rail.
"We've turned the form around with the English Guineas third (Gile Na Greine) and that race was just a mess. I'd say the winner is probably a very good filly and has quickened up well.
"Of course I wanted to win and I'll keep trying to win a big race but there is no divine right."
EARLIER FAME AND GLORYshowed his true colours with a masterclass of a display to provide Aidan O'Brien with a fourth Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.
And last year’s Irish Derby winner is set for a quick reappearance in the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday week, with Paddy Power trimming him to 2-1 favouritism from 11-4 for the June 4 event.
Johnny Murtagh’s mount enjoyed a confidence boosting win last time out after being turned over on his seasonal bow, and any cobwebs must have been truly blown away as he thundered clear as the 8-15 favourite.
The four-year-old applied maximum pressure two furlongs out and stormed away for an effortless seven-length drubbing of Recharge to emulate his sire Montjeu, who took this Group One contest 10 years ago.
O’Brien said: “I am delighted with him and he has come forward with every run this year.
“We have always felt he could do that. An uncomplicated mile and a quarter suited him well. He is really there now. He has class and handles fast ground.
“Hopefully he will go to the Coronation Cup, it’s a quick bounce-back but we might just do it. He could then have a mid-summer break as he has had a good few runs now.”
William Hill also trimmed the winner to 6-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after his sixth-placed finish in Paris last year.
Disappointment of the race was Godolphin’s French Group One-winning French import, Cutlass Bay, who lost his unbeaten tag when nearly 21 lengths adrift in fifth.
Moonlit Garden (10-1) cast a three-length shadow over the field and earned a trip to Royal Ascot with her victory in the Yas EBF Maiden.
Weld’s newcomer was easy to back but her weakness in the betting did little to lessen her on-course performance as the Exceed And Excel filly came nicely clear under Smullen.
Weld said: “She had been working very nicely and her next stop will be the Queen Mary.”
Tracey Collins’ Lough Mist defied a whooping 16lb rise in the weights to see off 28 others in the six-furlong Jondol Furniture Handicap.
The 11-1 chance disappointed through her three-year-old campaign but has returned better than ever and completed a double under Pat Shanahan with her narrow defeat of Dash Back.
Collins said: “She fell out of love with the game last year but is back to her juvenile form and I am very, very pleased.”
Vivacious Vivienne just got up on the line to deny Gimli’s Rock in the richly-endowed United Arab Emirates Handicap.
Shane Foley made what looked a decisive move over a furlong out on the latter, but Pádraig Beggy got a tune out of the progressive 12-1 winner and engaged top gear as the post loomed large.
Winning trainer Donal Kinsella said: “There is only one place to go now and that is Galway, and I hope there is a nice mile-and-a-half handicap there for her.”