Coeur D'Or leaves it late in the Irish Cambridgeshire to complete the Galway-Curragh double

After more than a year on the sidelines before returning to the saddle this month, it looked as though Wesley Joyce was going to record a fairytale victory in the Paddy Power-sponsored Irish Cambridgeshire after kicking a couple of lengths clear on the Johnny Murtagh-trained Blues Emperor.

However, the cruellest of fates awaited him as he was denied victory in the last stride by Coeur D'Or, who achieved the rare feat of landing both this race and the Colm Quinn Mile at Galway in the same season.

It was also the second time this season Chris Hayes managed to snare one of the major Curragh handicaps in the last stride as he did the same on the William Haggas-trained Lattam in the Irish Lincoln here in March. Hayes needed plenty of luck in running and a clear passage, but once he did, this ultra-consistent son of Dubawi cut through the field to score by a neck.

Trainer Dermot Weld said: "He's just a very tough, genuine and game horse. In his younger days he was very immature but I gave him plenty of time and now it's paying dividends. He loves to come from off the pace and is very consistent. He'll step up a couple of furlongs and come back here on Champions Weekend for the Northfields Handicap."

Twomey confidence franked

Running maidens in Group races is normally anathema to Paddy Twomey, but the urgings of rider Billy Lee paid off as Sioux Nation colt Letsbefrankaboutit swept to victory in the Group 3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes.

It was easy to see where Lee's confidence came from as the colt travelled through the race with some ease and picked up well to get to the front. Once getting there he was always holding front-running Mansa Musa by half a length. The colt came forward well from his debut in a hot maiden here two weeks previously and looks as though he can go forward again.

"He's a lovely horse and he learned plenty here the last day," said Twomey, adding: "He was a bit babyish even before the race here the last day but there was none of that today and he did what I hoped he would do.

"It would take a lot for me to run a maiden in a Group 3. I was going to go to Cork next week for a maiden but I just thought he might be good enough today. I did ask Billy about five times though whether it was the right move!"

"He's a big horse. I don't think we'll overdo it this year and hopefully we have a nice horse for the next couple of years. He's entered in the Middle Park and a lot of other races, so we'll see how he goes."

Opera at concert pitch

After his unbeaten filly A Lilac Rolla had beaten Opera Singer in a conditions race here two weeks ago, Twomey will have taken great heart from the latter filly's demolition of her rivals in the Group 3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes as she stepped up to a mile for the first time.

In a race run at a proper gallop, Seamie Heffernan powered away from his rivals inside the final quarter and he kept up the gallop all the way to the line in beating stablemate Brilliant by six and a half lengths.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "The line came a bit soon for her the last day but she came forward lovely from that. Justifys improve and as soon as they step up in distance they take off. She's straightforward and goes forward, so the Fillies' Mile could be the race for her. Hopefully she's a nice one for next year."

It was the first leg of a Group 3 double for O'Brien and Heffernan, with Red Riding Hood subsequently producing a tough performance from the front in the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes. She may well return here on Champions Weekend for the Blandford Stakes.

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