Racing: Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen were in fine form at Tipperary last night, combining to land a treble.
The first leg of the hat-trick was in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden with Misty Heights, a foal from the first crop by Fasliyev. The filly made all and extended her advantage to five lengths at the line with Aidan O'Brien's 4 to 7 favourite Royal Tigress finishing strongly for second.
"She should stay well, being from a Shirley Heights mare and will now take her chance in the Moyglare Stakes," said Weld.
The Curragh trainer's Favourite Nation easily defeated Caparo by six lengths in the 7f maiden, leaving an impressed Weld to say: "He'll probably now take a step up to Group class and the National Stakes is definitely on the agenda."
Weld also mentioned that his runaway Galway maiden winner Grey Swallow is a likely runner in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October.
Weld completed the treble in claiming race when Anticipated Move landed a gamble (3 to 1 - 13 to 8), beating Hiawatha by three-parts of a length.
The featured Listed stakes was won by the Kevin Prendergast-trained Plume Rouge, who denied a Weld-Smullen four-timer with the well backed Perfect Touch. Plume Rouge was described by James Kelly (representing owner Lady O'Reilly) as "very tough" while adding that the filly may contest a Group Three race in Arlington Park next month before joining US trainer Christophe Clement.
Blue Crush won the five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race for trainer Edward Lynam and promising apprentice Billy Lee.
