'Horses like him make you enjoy the game' - track specialist Mutasarref lands Group 3

Mutasarref seems to grow a leg at the track and he produced a career-best to land the Group 3 Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes under Colin Keane. It was a ninth success for the son of Dark Angel, and a fourth at this venue.

Ballydoyle filly Ylang Ylang was dropping back to a mile after finishing sixth in the Oaks, but after a slowish start she was never a factor. As the race developed in the straight Mutasarref and last year's winner Lord Massusus emerged as the main contenders, with the former finding plenty inside the last furlong and then holding off the late surge of the Ballydoyle second-string Mountain Bear.

It was the second Leopardstown Group 3 of the summer for the winner, following his success in the Ballycorus Stakes in June. The victory continued the terrific summer enjoyed by his visiting American owner Eleanora Kennedy, whose runners never seem to lose when she is present.

Winning trainer Ger Lyons said: "You don't expect to be winning these races with the penalties. We were a bit disappointed with him last time at the Curragh, but that's the Curragh. I don't think he's ever run his best race there but he does it here."

"You think the penalties are going to stop him and he just keeps doing things like that. Horses like him make you enjoy the game. The plan is to come back here on Champions Weekend for the Group 2 Boomerang Stakes, which is beyond him, but it will give us another day out."

Crystal steps up

Prolific Crystal Black continued his climb up the ratings with an impressive first success in stakes company, bolting up for Gerry and Colin Keane in the Group 3 Xin Gin Ballyroan Stakes.

On his first start since winning the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap at Royal Ascot, the Teofilo gelding made it four from four for the season when picking up in good style to go clear inside the final furlong to beat The Euphrates by five lengths.

Paddy Power cut him to 12-1 (from 16) for the Melbourne Cup and Gerry Keane said: "There are people interested in buying half of him, with the lads keeping half. If that goes through the plan is to go for the Melbourne Cup and then come back here."

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