Sahara Princess left her debut run well behind to cause a shock in the Blue Square Stakes at the Curragh.
Jessica Harrington's filly had finished only seventh on her first run at Leopardstown and was duly sent off a 16/1 shot. She belied those odds in some style, however, by gaining a battling success in the Listed contest.
Johnny Murtagh settled the filly behind the leaders before producing her to challenge at the furlong pole. She wore down 2/1f Sandie in a thrilling final furlong duel to secure a three-parts-of-a-length victory.
'She stayed on nicely and could make up into a nice filly,' said Murtagh afterwards. 'She got to the front and started looking round a bit. She will have learned a lot and will improve.'
Horatio Nelson (2/1f) made a promising debut in the opening Blue Square Casino EBF Maiden.
Kieren Fallon sent the Danehill colt straight into the lead and he kept on nicely in the closing stages to see off the challenge of Heliostatic by a length.
The son of Oaks winner Imagine was immediately given a quote of 33/1 for next year's 2,000 Guineas by Cashmans.
Fallon went on to secure a treble when claiming the final two races on Visit Wexford and Portsmouth.
Visit Wexford was produced to lead at the furlong pole, in the Silken Thomas Handicap, and beat Coral Dawn by a length-and-a-half.
Fallon kicked for home on Portsmouth with half a mile to go in the Blue Square Poker Maiden and he stayed on stoutly to repel the challenge of Akram by three lengths.
Virginia Woolf (11/10 to 4/5f) was well supported in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Derby and made all for a comfortable length-and-a-half victory under Jamie Moriarty.
Leading apprentice Chris Hayes was also on the mark when Tofana claimed the Blue Square 1800 905050 Handicap. Francis Crowley's filly led 1 1/2f out to secure a length-and-a-half success over Neeze.
Brian Hughes is another apprentice making a name for himself and he produced 33/1 shot Zakfree with a perfectly timed run to lead inside the final furlong and claim the N Conlan & Sons Handicap.
