The grey Algonquin is driven out by Kevin Manning to beat Devonshire © Photo Healy Racing
< Algonquin continued his rise through the ranks with a gritty victory in the Vincent O'Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney.
Jim Bolger's grey struck in handicap company on his two previous outings in 2015 but was sent off at 9-2 as he took on Irish 1,000 Guineas third Devonshire and impressive Galway scorer Sacrificial in the Listed affair.
That trio filled the placings, with Algonquin holding the game Devonshire by a neck, while Sacrificial took too long to engage top gear but finished well for a close-up third.
Market support for Johannes Vermeer went astray on his Tipperary introduction but he made no mistake in the Irish Stallion Farms (C & G) Maiden.
Emmet McNamara was allowed to dictate terms to suit himself on the 6-4 favourite and didn't have to resort to his whip for his mount to cruise past the line four and a half lengths clear of Dawenkour < Assume (6-1) made a successful beginning to her career in the mosscontrol.ie Maiden.
The 280,000-euro daughter of Fastnet Rock attracted attention in the betting prior to this belated debut and quickened smartly through a gap at the furlong marker to beat McGuigan by three-quarters of a length.< Plough Boy (11-4 favourite) was denied by just a short head when bidding for a hat-trick at the Galway Festival but gained compensation when reunited with Robbie Downey in the Cliffords Groundcare Limited Handicap, accounting for Angel Of Joy by a length and a quarter.< Aye Aye Skipper (9-2) improved for the step to an extended mile to land the Diarmuid Cronin Electrical Apprentice Handicap, while the consistent Xebec (7-1) proved too strong in the Easy Clean Handicap.
John Oxx and Declan McDonogh followed up Xebec's win half an hour later when Nebulla also 7-1, came from last to first in a four-horse field to claim top honours in the Ladbrokes Race.
