naas 13th May

Beauty O'Gwaun stuck her neck out and battled to come out on top in the Group Three Blue Wind Stakes at Naas.

John Oxx's filly is prominent in the market for the Epsom Oaks after her one-race juvenile career yielded a Curragh victory, and she was sent off the 13-8 favourite.

However, having taken the lead entering the final furlong, she was passed by Jessica Harrington's outsider Festival Princess and it took all of Mick Kinane's strength in the saddle to get her back in front by a head on the line.

Aidan O'Brien has a smart juvenile to go to war with this season as he took the wraps off Steinbeck in the Pat Dunlea Memorial Race.

The Footstepsinthesand colt has been the subject of glowing reports from the Ballydoyle gallops, but was still sent off at 9-4, behind Jim Bolger's Leopardstown winner Gold Bubbles

Having tussled with the market leader at the head of affairs, Steinbeck saw her off at the furlong-marker and stayed on nicely to score by two and a half lengths. Cashmans make him 5-1 for the Coventry at Royal Ascot.

Bolger had better luck when winning the Curragh Lawns Nursing Home EBF Fillies Maiden for the third time in four seasons courtesy of 7-4 favourite Kitty Kiernan

A nicely-bred 400,000gns purchase, the daughter of Pivotal clearly knew her job at the first time of asking and quickening well from the front, wasn't too hard pressed to beat Lillie Langtry by two and a half lengths.

Dermot Weld got on the scoresheet when Cnocan Gold who had filled the runner-up berth on both previous starts this campaign, gained a deserved victory in the Berney Bros. Saddlers Handicap as the 5-2 favourite.

O'Brien and Murtagh supplemented Steinbeck's success when Johann Zoffany (5 & ndash;6) proved too strong in the K.T.K. Landfill (C & G) Maiden, and the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap saw 13-2 shot Kaplinsky beat Beatrix Potter for trainer David Marnane.