Sweet success for Collins and Chelsea Rose

Racing News: The Moyglare Stud Stakes was billed as a match between Silk And Scarlet and Jewel In The Sand but not for the first…

Racing News: The Moyglare Stud Stakes was billed as a match between Silk And Scarlet and Jewel In The Sand but not for the first time in his long career Con Collins threw the script out the window as Chelsea Rose stormed to victory.

Pat Shanahan guided the filly to a three-quarter length defeat of Pictavia with Saoire earning her €30,000 supplementary fee back in third.

Well back in the pack were the two favourites with Jewel In The Sand beating only one home and Michael Kinane reporting that she never travelled and hung throughout the race.

Silk And Scarlet beat five but her chance looked to be compromised after a barging match with Umniya at the rear of the field.

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"We got messed up at half-way and she was never travelling after that. She may have got a fright," reported Jamie Spencer who completed a treble on the day but missed out on the Group One plum.

Such bad luck would no doubt be described as being part of the game by the octogenarian winning trainer who was following in the veteran footsteps of last year's Oaks winner, Paddy Mullins, by scoring at Group One level.

Collins, who only admitted to "getting on a bit," also won the Irish Oaks with Princess Pati 20 years ago and that same race is Chelsea Rose's ultimate target.

"I thought she had a small chance but this is a great thrill," said Collins.

His daughter, Tracy, added: "We deliberately didn't enter her in the Guineas because we've always felt anything she did this year would be a bonus. Her career next year will be planned around the Irish Oaks."

The runner-up Pictavia was running on best of all at the finish and she could be seen next over a mile in the Prix Marcel Boussac on the Arc de Triomphe weekend.

Saoire's trainer Frances Crowley reported: "We're delighted and it was just inexperience found her out. If she was to run again this year it might be in the Park Stakes."

The Moyglare was a first Group One success since the 1996 Irish Derby for Pat Shanahan who received a severe caution from the stewards for his use of the whip.

Cherokee missed out on the Moyglare but for her first ever start she was still thrown into the Group Three Round Tower Stakes and overcame a slow start to just beat Lock And Key.

"It was a big call first time out against colts but she is a lovely filly. The hope was to come here and then go to the Cheveley Park Stakes," said Aidan O'Brien, who also won the juvenile maiden with the impressive Ad Valorem.

The Ballydoyle trainer unveiled another newcomer in the 10-furlong maiden and Mullins Bay justified a big reputation, and overcame trouble in running, to win by a length.

"He's had niggling little problems and we haven't rushed him," said O'Brien who hopes to continue training the colt at four.

Ringmoor Down just nosed out the other British runner Benbaun in a terrific finish to the Group Three Flying Five and it was John Egan who emerged best in the Cambridgeshire, riding Due Respect to a head defeat of Dawn Raid.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Antonius Pius finished a fast-finishing third - beaten a length and a neck - behind the Andre Fabre-trained Grey Lilas in the Group One Netjets Prix du Moulin at Longchamp yesterday.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column