Beset a facile winner of Finale Stakes Joseph O’Brien’s Beset (7/1) routed her 14 rivals in the Guinness 0.0 Finale Stakes at the Curragh.Declan McDonogh’s mount was never far off the pace and led travelling well entering the final quarter-mile before clearing away to beat Royal Entry by seven and a half lengths. O'Brien also had the third-home Snapretend but his 13/8 favourite Starford finished a well-beaten seventh. Dylan Browne McMonagle had arrived from Del Mar, where he recorded a famous victory on the Willie Mullins-trained Ethical Diamond in the Breeders' Cup Turf yesterday, in time to partner Starford but the stewards denied a request that be allowed to replace Wayne Hassett on that horse. After the race, the Letterkenny jockey was presented with his champion jockey trophy to great acclaim while Hassett, who had extended his lead to two by winning the opener on another O'Brien inmate James J Braddock, was presented with his trophy for being champion apprentice. Beset, like James J Braddock, carries the colours of Kevin Blake and is owned in partnership with Emma Palmer, Michael Wilson and Nick Luck.  "She’s had a good year, stakes placed and now a stakes winner," said McDonogh. "She has a very enthusiastic bunch of owners, and they will be hot on Instagram tonight.  “I went down to the two (furlong marker) on the bridle which is a rare thing, and she picked up really well.  “She loves the ground and was pricking her ears the last furlong and having a good look around. I was on the freshest of the ground and she gave me a good feel today.”  Additional reporting by Alan Magee
