Review LEOPARDSTOWN 14TH AUG

Chelsea Rose bounced back to form to trump the big two in the Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown.

The race had been billed as a match between Vinnie Roe and Shalapour but it was the filly who swooped on the outside, under Pat Shanahan, to land the spoils in the Listed contest.

Vinnie Roe was sent into the lead before the straight but was collared by Shalapour inside the final furlong. Con Collins' filly finished best of all, however, to get up close home for a three-quarters-of-a-length victory.

Last year's Moyglare Stakes winner had disappointed on her last two starts but left that form well behind.

'She's very genuine and tough,' said assistant trainer Tracey Collins. A listed contest at the Curragh on September 4th is next on the agenda for the daughter of Desert King followed by the Group 2 Blanford stakes at HQ on September 18th.

Pat Smullen was pleased with the effort of Vinnie Roe: 'That will leave him spot on for the Irish St Leger. The ground was a bit too quick and he doesn't really have the pace for 1m4f anymore.'

Shanahan and Collins rounded off a good day when The Carbon Unit notched a double for the pair in the concluding Leopardstown Golf Centre Handicap.

The Group 3 Desmond Stakes produced a thrilling finish with John Oxx's Caradak just egding out Mustameet by the narrowest of margins.

Mick Kinane produced the Desert Style colt to head long-time leader Hazyview before the furlong marker but he had to fight hard to notch his hat-trick.

'That wasn't as good a performance as his last run,' said Oxx. 'He's better over 7f. That's a stretch for him and courage got him through. He was in the Celebration Mile (at Goodwood) bu we'll give that a miss now. We'll give him and break and freshen him up.'

It was a bad day for Johnny Murtagh with the jockey picking up two separate bans totalling 23 days.

Murtagh was in trouble following the opening Irish Stallions Farms EBF Maiden when he was found guilty of striking Pat Smullen shortly after the finish.

The stewards handed Murtagh a 21-day ban for improper riding and also severely cautioned him for his attitude towards the acting stewards.

Things picked up when he partnered Back To Paris to success in the August Handicap but he was then hit with a two-day ban for causing interference to Smullen's mount Absolute Image in the 1m2f event.

Hard Rock City made it three from three with a narrow success in the Sunday Independent Handicap and could now be stepped up to Listed company.

Emmet Butterly continued the bright start to his career when scoring on Petite Bois in the Dalkey Fillies Handicap while Seal Colony came back from a break to land the two-year-old maiden.

Ruby Walsh was the star of the show on the final day of the Tramore festival when partnering a double on the Flat at the Co Waterford track.

Walsh showed his strength to get Fayr Star up in the Tote Ireland 75th Anniversary Handicap while he came from behind on Mountain Snow to claim the Waterford Crystal Noel M Griffin Memorial Handicap.

There was also a jockey in trouble at Tramore with 7lb claimer Eddie Power picking up a 14-day ban for failing to pull up Carina Bay after he ran out at the second last in the Killone Estates Handicap Chase.