The British were out in force to plunder the €1million Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and they didn't leave the Curragh empty-handed with Hurricane Lane (4/1) providing yet another big-race winner for red-hot trainer Charlie Appleby.

Some spend a lifetime trying to win a race of this standing but this was Appleby's second Derby success this month having already landed the Epsom equivalent with Adayar as the Newmarket trainer continues to dominate the three-year-old colts' division.

The 1,000 spectators attending an Irish race meeting today for the first time in 15 months were treated to a thrilling finish as Frankie Dettori looked poised to steal the Irish Classic with a bold front-running display aboard Martyn Meade's Lone Eagle (11/2).

Hurricane Lane was catching him with every stride, though, as William Buick timed his run to perfection with the son of Frankel flashing home in the final furlong to lead home a British 1-2 by a neck, landing the rider's second Irish Derby success in the process.

Much of the talk in the build-up was of Aidan O'Brien's search for a 15th Irish Derby, but High Definition (9/4 favourite) trailed in second last as Epsom Derby third, Hurricane Lane, in the famous blue silks of Godolphin, lowered the Ballydoyle colours in great style.

"Dreams are free in the winter and we were dreaming about the good crop of three-year-old which we had," a delighted Appleby said. "They were not a brilliant crop of two-year-olds but we were happy with where they were at three and this is a great day for Godolphin.

"It was noticeable coming out of Epsom how much he had grown up, his work was sharper and coming in today the only negative I could give was the ground tightening up a bit over the last 24 hours.

"Coming down the hill we saw William come under the pump a little bit, but once he met the rising ground I was confident that he'd gallop on strongly to the line. I thought Frankie had stolen a march but I knew our horse would gallop to the line."

With stablemate Adayar heading for next month's King George, there are "no immediate plans" for Hurricane Lane as Appleby opts to wait and see before earmarking his next destination but a tilt at the English St Leger, for which he is as short as 7/2, could be on the cards.

"It'll be a nice conversation to have about where he goes next but we'll enjoy the moment for now. We can all jump to conclusions and make decisions on the spot but we'll let the horse recover first before doing anything," Appleby said.

"The Leger would be a lovely race to win for the team. Adayar is heading to the King George and we'll sit tight until then and see what happens. The reason we're sending Adayar there is to test his mettle against older horses and see whether he will be an Arc horse."

The GAIN Railway Stakes also went back across the Irish Sea with the teak tough Go Bears Go (17/2) prevailing, but there was a distinctive Galway feel to it as Tribe duo David Loughnane and Rossa Ryan combined to land the prestigious Group Two.

Go Bears Go, supplemented earlier this week, was just touched off in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot but he showed no signs of fatigue to provide a career-defining win for dual-purpose Shropshire trainer Loughnane, who landed his first success at the Royal meeting last week.

It was also the perfect comeback win for Corofin native Ryan, who only returned to the saddle on Friday after recovering from a broken collarbone and an appendicitis operation, and the 20-year-old was ecstatic to prevail "back on home soil".

"Dave took a massive risk coming here a week later, we’re glad it’s paid off. He’s a top-class sprinter and I have the easy job of steering them and I can only say thanks to everybody. I had a hard month with injury and everybody at Oaksey House got me through it," Ryan said.

Jessica Harrington also had reason to celebrate after a brilliant training performance saw Shane Foley steer Cadillac (9/4) to triumph by a short-head in the Group Three ARM Holding International Stakes on his first start of the season.

Amazingly, there was no winner for O'Brien on Derby day as eight different trainers made it into the winners' enclosure with Johnny Murtagh landing the Listed Celebration Stakes with Fourhometwo (4/1) as jockey Ben Coen continued his sensational season.

Eddie Lynam also gave another illustration of his brilliance with sprinters as Romantic Proposal (11/4 favourite) came home a ready winner of the Listed Dash having gone from last to first under a confident Chris Hayes ride.

'Fast Eddie' is confident that "she's getting better" with the five-year-old mare entered for the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes later this year, although she is more likely to tackle the Group Two Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh next month.

The gaps also came at the right time for Sindhia (8/1) in the €100,000 Fillies Handicap to hand local trainer Mick Halford a high-profile winner as Ronan Whelan weaved her through to score by half a length in the famous green and red silks of the Aga Khan.