Richard Hannon’s Lilbourne Lad struck a blow for the visitors when winning the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Railway Stakes at The Curragh today.

Lilbourne Lad, under Richard Hughes, outbattled Tough As Nails inside the final furlong to score a three parts of a length win. The Stewards subsequently called an Enquiry into interference between the pair inside the final furlong but a change to the result was never likely. After ards Richard Hannon Jnr, representing his father, stated “Lilbourne Lad is a real star and we’re very pleased. The last furlong looked like slow motion but Lilbourne kept pulling out a bit more. I feel sorry for connections of Tough As Nails as he is a tough horse too.”

“We were concerned about the ground coming here but were delighted when it dried out and we’ll either come back here for the National Stakes or the Prix Morny at Deauville next.”

Thomas Weekes