THE Ross O’Sullivan-trained Chally Chute gained compensation for an unlucky second in last year’s renewal, staying on strongly to win the featured Friends of the Curragh Irish Cesarewitch over two miles and one furlong at the Curragh.

Sam Coen settled his mount in mid-field before the 16/1 shot travelled well into the straight. Julie White’s gelding stayed on strongly to grab the lead inside the final 50 yards, holding off the late surge of Sirius to win by half a length.

Winning trainer Ross O’Sullivan said: “You don’t often get a second bite of the cherry. For the rain to happen this morning, as Julie said, it was meant to be.

“The horse has a great meaning to us; the man he is named after was very close to our family. He won the Loughbrown here last year, a Group 3.

“Donagh O’Connor has done a lot of the work and the horse is his ride. We’ll see what Julie wants to do. The Curragh might be the place for him.”

Record-extending win

Curracloe maintained her unbeaten record in taking fashion under Ben Coen in the Group 3 Darley Fillies Stakes.

Johnny Murtagh’s filly (13/8 joint-favourite) took a lead before quickening up to snatch the initiative from her two market rivals.

The Qatar Racing Limited-owned bay kept on strongly to score by two and three-quarter lengths from Alpine Wedding.

“She is a very nice filly. For ours to win first time out the way she did, she’s a bit special. I was a bit worried about the ground, but as Ben said to me this morning: ‘the good ones seem to go on any ground’,” enthused Murtagh.

“I think you’ll see a much better filly on faster ground. Today was important, another test passed.”

Love leads the way

The Karl Burke-trained Soul Love (5/2 joint-favourite), ridden by Pierre-Louis Jamin, made all to win the Group 3 Qatar Racing And Equestrian Club Renaissance Stakes.

The daughter of Starman stretched her rivals after quickening three furlongs out and found more under pressure a furlong later, holding on to beat Big Gossey by three-quarters of a length.

“I’m delighted with that. We didn’t know if she’d handle the ground. We had a good draw up the stands’ rail, which I think you need here on the soft ground,” said Burke.

“We’ve been very lucky here in Ireland. I believe Soul Love has a date at the Mares Sales, but it might be a no brainer now to throw her hat into the ring for Champions Weekend at Ascot.”

AIDAN O’Brien recorded a double early on the card, with Raging Bull justifying favouritism under Ryan Moore by battling gamely to win the opening Army Equitation Centenary Irish EBF Maiden.

Sent off the 1/2 favourite, the Coolmore-owned colt was handy throughout on the stand side.

The son of Wootton Bassett was sent to the front over two furlongs out and was soon joined by the newcomer Overhead Drive.

The pair battled from over a furlong out and, although headed, he battled back tenaciously to win by a head.

O’Brien commented: “He has a big engine, he’s tough and very genuine. Ryan said he’d rather have taken his time on him instead of being handy all the way. That could be it for the season now.”

Making all

Capability Brown made virtually all under Wayne Lordan to land the Izuzu Ireland Irish EBF Maiden. Well-backed, from 9/1 into 4/1 before the race, the Dubawi colt increased the tempo from the top of the straight in Michael Tabor’s silks.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge was sent for home over a furlong out and was ridden out practically under a hands-and-heels ride by Lordan to score by two and a quarter lengths from the staying-on Cluster.

“He is lovely and he handled the ground. He had a good run when third behind Drumbeat in Gowran.

“He could be very comfortable at a mile next year,” reported the Ballydoyle trainer.

Off the mark

The Iman Hartono-owned Valentino Eclipse (2/5 favourite) got off the mark at the third time of asking in the Celebrating County Kildare And Lexington Twinning Maiden.

He made virtually all under Seamie Heffernan to score readily by three and three-quarter lengths from Port Arthur.

Trainer Fozzy Stack commented: “He did that well. He’s a horse we’ve always liked. He is probably a six or seven-furlong horse.

“He probably needs a little bit of ease underfoot. I had a couple of good horses out of the family before, this fella could turn out to be the best of them.”

MOON Sand (5/2 joint-favourite) made a winning handicap debut in the Kwiff More Bang For Your Bet Nursery Handicap.

Joey Sheridan gently eased the grey son of Sea The Moon into contention two furlongs out. Joseph O’Brien’s charge coasted into the lead and scored by four lengths from Romance (11/4), for owner Barry Fowler.

“I think he liked getting on the softer ground. He’s been coming on with his racing and hopefully the best is yet to come,” enthused winning trainer Joseph O’Brien.

“We’ll see whether he goes for another nursery or into a stakes race. A strong pace on the soft ground suited him.”

Gamble landed

Fianna landed a gamble (15/2 - 4/1 joint-favourite) for local trainer Aidan Howard in the concluding Kwiff Supercharged Betting (Q.R) Handicap.

Oran McGill had his mount in touch breaking cover at the top of the straight. The S.J. Mullin-owned mare was sent to the front under two furlongs out, and she kept up the gallop to score by a length and three-quarters from her fellow joint-favourite, Justenzia.

Howard commented: “I was half afraid of the ground, but I thought she was after coming on from the last day. Oran gave her a fantastic ride. He done everything I told him to a tee.”