Cougar Mountain © Photo Healy Racing
< Cougar Mountain made the most of a drop in class to regain the wining thread in the Invesco Pension Consultants Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday evening.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt has taken on the likes of Golden Horn and Solow at the highest level this season and proved too good for these Group Three rivals.
Always prominent under Joseph O'Brien, the evens favourite moved into the lead approaching the final furlong and stuck on well to beat Raydara by three-quarters of a length.
That completed a double for the father and son combination as Unicorn earlier landed odds of 4-11 to open his account at the second attempt in the Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. (C & G) Maiden.
There was a moment's worry for favourite backers as the Galileo colt took a while to get past Theodorico but his class told in the end and he pulled away nicely to score by four and three-quarter lengths.
Having finished second in a Curragh maiden that has worked out well on debut, Juliette Fair was sent of a 2-1 chance the Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Fillies Maiden and she didn't disappoint her supporters.
Dermot Weld's Dark Angel filly was always going well and stretched clear in fine style after hitting the front over a furlong out to come home four and a half lengths ahead of Gilded Reflection < Creggs Pipes (7-4fav) made just about all when landing the Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Fillies Handicap by a length and a quarter.
The Andrew Slattery-trained filly was returning to the scene of her maiden success and dug deep to hold off the late challenges of Peace Mission and Bainne
There was a quick-fire double for Aurelia Cotta (6-1) as she followed up Wednesday's success at Gowran with ease in the Today FM Apprentice Handicap.
A 5lb penalty proved no burden as she came from off the pace to take it up over a furlong from home and put three and a quarter lengths between herself and Cullentry Royal in impressive fashion.< Three Bells (8-1) got first run on Captain Power and made it count as Wayne Lordan's mount denied the 3
