Postulation and Pat Smullen (right) win from The Happy Prince (left) and Queen Nefertiti (centre) © Photo Healy Racing
The feature event at Dundalk tonight produced a thrilling finish with Postulation emerging on top after a three-way battle for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race.
Pat Smullen cut out the running on Postulation in the mile conditions event and he was strongly pressed from over a furlong out.
Both Queen Nefertiti and The Happy Prince challenged on his outer but the Dermot Weld-trained gelding was not to be denied.
Khalid Abdullah's charge, sporting a visor for the first time, battled gamely in the closing stages to record a half length victory at odds of 4/1. The Happy Prince just edged the runner-up spot by a nose from 6/4 favourite Queen Nefertiti.
Postulation had been beaten by subsequent Ballysax winner Success Days on his return to action at Cork earlier in the month and Smullen, who was recording a treble on the night, felt tonight's track suited his mount better.
"Going left-handed is definitely a plus with him - he lay out with me in Cork. This way was a help as was the visor," said Smullen.
"I thought that was a good performance. They went a good gallop and when the other pair joined me they went at it from a furlong-and-a-half down.
"He dug deep and you'll find that form works out. They really turned it on from a furlong out. I don't think they ever got past me."