Turret Rocks (nearest) and Deauville fight out the finish© Photo Healy Racing
Turret Rocks sprang a 14/1 surprise in the feature at Leopardstown this evening, the Group 3 ICON Meld Stakes.
Successful in a Listed contest on her penultimate start at Gowran, the Jim Bolger trained four-year-old since finished last of six in the Curragh when tried at the highest level in the Pretty Polly.
Sent off at 14/1 this evening (from 16s), she raced in second under Kevin Manning, and was pushed along to challenge from two furlongs out.
She was ridden and looked to be making little progress from over a furlong out, but knuckled down gamely inside the final 100 yards, getting up close home to prevail by a neck in the colours of owner June Judd.
The front-running Deauville was the one just denied, with Donnacha O'Brien aboard this 2/1 chance for his father Aidan.
Hazapour was sent off the 8/13 favourite under Frank Dettori. Having raced in third he came with his effort from the two furlong pole, but ultimately couldn't match the front pair and had to settle for third.
"She was very good and she got some super assistance from the saddle. She wasn't going to give it away anyway,” said Bolger.
"After that we'll probably keep her to a mile-and-a-quarter or less.
"Probably the best mile-and-a-quarter race to come is at Longchamp on Arc day (Prix de l'Opéra) but the only problem with that is she doesn't like soft ground so we have to be careful.
"She might get an invite to Hong Kong after that and I'll have to take out my passport again.
"Herself and Cimeara are closely related. She is out of a full-sister to Cimeara's dam and both those mares are by Galileo which doesn't stop them either."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
