Intense Style scores as Dawn Mirage and Dick Whittington give chase © Photo Healy Racing
The Jim Bolger-trained Intense Style sprang a 20/1 shock in the opener at the Curragh this afternoon as hotpot Dick Whittington failed to quicken in the heavy ground.
Yulong Xiongba took them along in the six-furlong contest but gave way over a furlong out as Kevin Manning drove Intense Style into the lead.
He was followed through by Dawn Mirage but asserted in good style in the closing stages for a length-and-a-quarter victory.
2/7 shot Dick Whittington, just denied by yesterday's Marble Hill winner Cappella Sansevero on his Naas debut, was held up but failed to quicken when taking closer order two furlongs out. He plugged on in the closing stages to take the runner-up spot at the death.
The winner was turning around Naas form with the favourite having been six-and-three-quarter lengths behind him last time.
“He ran very well in his first race but he then misbehaved at Naas and lost the plot,” revealed Bolger.
“It's nice to get back on track and I think I'll move him up to stakes class now. His dam is by Galileo and the sire got a mile so he should have no trouble getting a mile in time.”
Kevin Manning reported that it was “very deep ground”. The testing conditions led to four non-runners in the race. There are 28 out over the whole card.
(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
