Belle takes the Blandford for Murtagh

The Johnny Murtagh trained and ridden Belle de Crecy sprang a 16/1 surprise in the feature race at the Curragh this afternoon, the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Blandford Stakes.

The Andrew Tinkler owned four-year-old daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar won her maiden at Roscommon in July on the fourth time of asking and she followed up on her next start over the course.

She then finished second in the Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes at Gowran to Along Came Casey, before finishing just three and a half lengths fourth to The United States in the Group 3 Enterprise Stakes at Leopardstown last Saturday.

Back against her own sex this afternoon she broke smartly from the stalls to lead in the early stages before being soon overtaken by Shirocco Star

She raced in a clear second for the majority of the contest, before regaining the lead entering the straight as Shirocco Star weakened.

She was clear of her rivals over two furlongs out, and she kept up the gallop in the closing stages to score by a length and three parts. Hot Snap who was sent off the 5/4 favourite for Jane Cecil and Tom Queally, kept on in the closing stages to take second, while Magical Dream finished third, a further length behind under Seamie Heffernan for Aidan O’Brien at 25/1. Alive Alive Oh was sent off the 7/4 second favourite for Fran Berry and Tommy Stack but she never looked like winning and trailed home a well-beaten seventh.

Johnny Murtagh said afterwards: "She probably just blew up a bit last week and I really fancied her today.

"Niall (McCullagh) rode her yesterday morning and he said she was in great form. She’s got great heart and a great pedigree.

"She has done nothing but improve from day one and her sister stayed a mile and six.

"I’m not sure if she will run again this year but she is so tough and comes out of her races so well you’d never know."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee