Racing: Michael Stoute and his jockey Ryan Moore started Irish Derby weekend at the Curragh in the best possible fashion with a Group One victory courtesy of Promising Lead in the Audi Pretty Polly Stakes.
The pair team up with Epsom runner-up Tartan Bearer in the Dubai Duty Free-sponsored Classic tomorrow afternoon, and fired a warning shot to the locals with a silky-smooth success.
An anticipated tussle with Jim Bolger's Finsceal Beo failed to materialise though, with last year's dual 1000 Guineas winner never landing a blow from the rear of the nine-strong field.
Punters sided with Stoute's four-year-old beforehand and sent the Khalid Abdullah-owned filly on her way as the 2-1 market leader to secure a first top-level prize.
The daughter of Danehill came close to that last autumn when just touched off in the Prix de l'Opera and after a pipe opener in Group Three company at York, she readily brushed aside her rivals.
Ice Queen gave the Newmarket raider a lead throughout the early stages but was drawn in by Promising Lead with two furlongs left to run.
Moore set his mount alight soon after and she stretched clear for a tidy length-and-a-quarter beating of Irish 1000 Guineas second Mad About You.
Anna Pavlova, representing the Yorkshire yard of Richard Fahey, was a further four and a half lengths down in third.
Stoute said: "She is a real big, scopey, progressive filly. She improved through last year and was only beaten a head in the Opera.
"She started off this season winning well in a Group Three at York and she is really coming to herself.
"She has done that well but could have done with a lead for longer. We'll have a look at the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood now."
Moore added: "We fancied her strongly today and she saw out the mile and a quarter very well.
"She had been in front long enough and was idling but she was never in any danger."
Trainer Dermot Weld said of the runner-up: "The winner is obviously very good and so is ours.
"It was a great race and we will look at the Irish Oaks next."
Finsceal Beo moved up through rivals rounding the bend but never got into a challenging position down the straight, and finished an eased-down last.
"She was distressed and found to be clinically abnormal after the race so there is obviously something wrong," said Bolger.