Create Belief graduated to Pattern-race company in style with victory in the Group Three Invesco Pension Consultants Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown last night.
Winner of the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Johnny Murtagh-trained filly has progressed at a rate of knots this season.
Standing in for the suspended Ben Coen, Shane Kelly had her sat close to the pace set by Charterhouse in the mile affair and when asked inside the final furlong the daughter of Awtaad showed a serious turn of foot. Georgeville closed on the 5/6 favourite at the line, but the race was won by then, with half a length the official margin.
Murtagh said: “She came out of Ascot really well. This is a big step up and you want to see can she run to 110 (rating). There wasn’t much pace in the race, she was a little bit wide all the way, but Shane said he rode her like the best filly in the race.”
Interpretation is another horse going the right way and he made it three in a row with a gutsy success in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien’s Galileo colt led from the start, closely attended throughout by Fernando Vichi.
The latter pushed the even-money favourite but Ryan Moore’s mount found more and prevailed by a length and three-quarters over the St Leger trip of a mile and three-quarters.
Meanwhile, Tony Mullins expects today’s Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial to leave stable star Princess Zoe cherry-ripe for another big-race assignment at York next week.
The six-year-old was slightly disappointing on her first two starts of the season at Cork and Gowran Park, but bounced back to her best with a brilliant run when runner-up to Subjectivist in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
Princess Zoe is entered in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup and the Sky Bet Ebor at York, with Mullins keen to see how she performs at the Curragh before deciding which race she will contest on the Knavesmire.
Princess Zoe’s Curragh rivals include Wordsworth, whose trainer Aidan O’Brien has won this race in each of the past seven seasons, and the Joseph O’Brien’s multiple course winner Twilight Payment.
Meanwhile, Aidan O’Brien’s Innisfree will make his return from almost two years off the track in the Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes at the Co Kildare meeting.