Digeanta stays on best to score

Willie Mullins's Digeanta wore down Awesome Star in the two mile handicap at the Curragh, to the delight of favourite backers.

The eight-year-old gelding raced in third as Face value opened up a massive lead on Awesome Star, who in turn raced clear of Digeanta. Face Value increased his lead to 20 lengths but the petrol gauge started to flash with over four furlongs left as Awesome Star raced alongside and soon swept past him.

Digeanta followed suit as Face Value weakened quickly. Digeanta was three lengths off Awesome Star at the three pole but Pat Smullen hadn't played his cards yet.

Smullen asked his mount for more with a quarter of a mile to go and Digeanta was ridden to collar Awesome Star at the furlong pole.

The 2/1 favourite kept on stoutly to grind out a victory by two and three quarter lengths. Awesome Star (9/2) held on for second by a neck from Ceylon (20/1).

Pat Smullen said: "Everything worked out perfectly for him as they went hard from the start.

"They went very, very quick and set it up for him as he always keeps galloping. That's all he's been lacking is pace like that in his races."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson