O'Brien doubles up through Mount Tabora

A pull in the weights enabled Mount Tabora to reverse form with Zander to win the mile nursery in Listowel and give Aidan O'Brien a double.

Zander beat him four lengths into fourth at Galway but raced on 10lb worse terms for this rematch.

Seamie Heffernan sent Mount Tabora into a narrow lead inside the final furlong with Zander the danger on the outside.

In the final 50 yards it was Mount Tabora, though, who saw it out best to prevail by three parts of a length at 10/3, on this ever deteriorating ground which was changed to soft to heavy before this race.

Zander (5/1) had to settle for second. Invincible Karma the 5/4 favourite, didn't land a blow in last of the sixth runners.

Seamie Heffernan said: "He is a Scat Daddy and we were a bit disappointed with his previous form but maybe they are really starting to fire now. It was a long last furlong but I was actually going away at the winning post.

"A lot of them (Ballydoyle horses) were running like they were under a cloud but they all seem to be back flying and all seem to be coming out of their races well whereas before they were taking a few days to settle."

"I think we've won this handicap with horses who have gone on to win Group races as two-year-olds and Joshua Tree finished second (won a Group Two at Ascot on his next start) in it."

The Stewards interviewed C.T. Keane, rider of Zander (GB), concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that C.T. Keane was in breach of R10(3)(f) by using his whip with excessive frequency. Having taken his previous record into consideration the Stewards suspended C.T. Keane for three race days.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes