'An improving horse with a great will to win' - Earlswood lands Royal Whip

Irish Derby fourth Earlswood appreciated the drop back to 1m2f to claim the Group 3 Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes, and the temptation of a free entry into next month's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown might be too much for trainer Johnny Murtagh and owner Glyn Davies to resist.

The son of Pivotal looked at home over this shorter trip, quickening well to challenge inside the final furlong and getting on top close home to hold off Reve De Vol by three-quarters of a length.

It cemented a memorable 24 hours for rider Shane Kelly after he partnered his first Group winner at Leopardstown the previous evening on Create Belief.

Create Belief lands the Desmond Stakes on Thursday eveningCredit: Patrick McCann

Murtagh said: "I've been very happy with this horse since the Derby. Glyn took him home for a couple of weeks and stuck him in the paddock and he definitely improved for the break. I thought he might have been a gallop short.

"We'll have to decide about the Irish Champion Stakes now he has the free entry, I have him entered in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. I think he's an improving horse with a great will to win. At the start of the year I thought he would stay well, but now I think a mile and a quarter with cut in the ground could be ideal for him."

Many eyes were on the long-absent Innisfree, and after getting very warm beforehand and taking a keen tug in the race, to finish a staying-on fifth, beaten just over three lengths, was a noteworthy effort.

Cheveley Park aim for Head

Racing opened with an interesting Listed Finlay Volvo Curragh Stakes and the Ger Lyons-trained filly Head Mistress made it two out of two with a last-gasp success under Colin Keane.

The daughter of Profitable always looked like getting up once she got into gear a furlong out, and hit the line hard in registering a half-length success over the front-running Loveday.

The filly is owned in partnership by John Brady and RTE Racing's Brian Gleeson, with an entry made earlier in the week for the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket next month a possible next step.

Lyons' brother and assistant Shane said: "That was a very good performance. She had to do it the hard way out in the middle of the track on her own. She's still learning and Colin said she will improve again for it and will improve for an extra furlong."

"I would think her owners will go for the Cheveley Park. She has her black type now and to go there will be a bonus. If she keeps improving, why not?"

The champion jockey completed a double in the opening two races when making all on the Homer Scott-trained Strong Johnson, the speedster following up a win at Tipperary last week.

Melbourne return on the cards for Twilight

Joseph O'Brien's assistant Brendan Powell told rider Declan McDonogh to dust off his passport with a return trip to Australia firmly on the agenda for last year's Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment.

He was cut to 20-1 (from 33) for the Flemington spectacular after a convincing success in a very competitive renewal of the Group 3 Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial.

He kept pulling out plenty from the front in the last furlong or so, and while runner-up Princess Zoe was short of racing room, there was no suggestion the winner was lucky in registering a length and three-quarter success.

Powell said: "Declan thought he quickened here for the first time since he rode him last year and that won him the race. I thought Princess Zoe was going to pick him up but he's a tough horse to get past.

"I would imagine there's only one place he's going now! He's shown he's trained on and he looked like the horse of old there tonight."

Results, replays and analysis

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