Scintillula goes clear of Mars in the closing stages© Photo Healy Racing
A gutsy effort from the Jim Bolger-trained filly Scintillula was enough to deny Mars and land the Jockey Club Of Turkey Meld Stakes at Leopardstown.
The 6-1 chance was sent straight to the front by Kevin Manning, but looked vulnerable to Aidan O'Brien's Mars as he loomed upsides with two furlongs to run.
Scintillula would not be denied, though, and found plenty for pressure in the closing stages to leave the odds-on favourite toiling in her wake, two and three-quarter lengths adrift at the line.< Exogenesis continued his rapid ascent up the ranks when winning the Korean Racing Authority Tyros Stakes with a bit up his sleeve under Gary Carroll.< Home School took the field along for much of the seven furlongs, but Carroll appeared full of confidence at the furlong pole and after giving the 11-8 chance a couple of taps, he went pace the pacesetter close home to score by half a length.
Favourite Sir John Hawkwood did not pick up in the home straight and finished third.
Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen limbered up for what will probably be a busy week at Galway next week when Tahaany cruised to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
Content to make all on the 9-10 favourite, Smullen drove the colt into a clear lead after the home turn and eased down late on to beat Vallado by three and three-quarter lengths.
Promising young jockey Connor King bagged another winner when getting the David Marnane-trained Carenza (6-1) home by three-quarters of a length from Our Manekineko in the Morocco SOREC Handicap.
King couldn't add to that tally in the Ash Apprentice Handicap, though, as his mount Street Party was well beaten behind Castle Guest (5-1) under Conor Hoban, who just had enough in the tank to see off the fast-finishing Golden Silence
