Emily Blake stuck to her guns well to repel the challenge of Beach Bunny by half a length in the Group 3 TRI Equestrian Stakes at the Curragh.

Johnny Murtagh found a willing ally as the mare did it the hard way, from the front, and fought doggedly to hold her rival inside the final furlong.

The winner was supplemented at a cost of euro 7,500 for the contest and winning trainer John Hayden quipped: " I thought i was firing it up in the air."

"She has improved a nice bit and is in foal to Invicible Spirit, which seems to have improved her.

"She had to see the mile out today. We won't ask her to do much more now. She's in two races at Leopardstown and if the ground is like this could go for the Ballycorus Stakes."