Via Sistina way ahead of others in Yulong Pretty Polly Stakes

Bought for just 5,000 guineas, Via Sistina (Jamie Spencer 3-1), reached the summit of excellence with a prominent success in the Yulong Pretty Polly Stake, giving trainer George Boughey his debut winner in Ireland.

Via Sistina slightly missed the break, and when they went a good clip, she was a bit further back than ideal.

From early in the straight she started motorizing, making rapid progress down the outside. Meandering to badly interfere with both the fourth-placed Rosscarbery and runner-up Stay Alert, meant an enquiry followed. However, the manner in which she quickened clear by two lengths was fine insurance.

There was a considerable sting in the tail for Jamie, receiving a careless riding six-day suspension. Via Sistina is very versatile, capable of anywhere from a mile upwards. She likes to go in a straight line, too, so she could go to Newmarket for the Falmouth Stakes, or, Nassau Stakes.

She's in the Yorkshire Oaks and the International Stakes at York. Let us wait and see, firstly, how she recovers. It was a one-two for British raiders as Stay Alert (Ronan Whelan 4-1), after being squeezed up, and Rolan felt that it was a genuine hard luck story. Above the Curve filled third place.

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Neil Callan was left briefly speechless at his brilliant summer so far when landing another major prize with Calling The Wind's battling victory in the Jennings Bet Northumberland Plate.

Having returned from a lucrative 11-year spell in Hong Kong, the evergreen rider enjoyed a wonderful renaissance with a Royal Ascot double, including the Queen Anne Stakes on Triple Time and Burdett Road's Golden Gates. A week on yielded yet more big-race glory on Calling the Wind, 14-1, for Richard Hughes, with Golden Rules (Oisin Murphy 9-2), necked out. Aztec Empire (Harry Davies 22-1) and, Nathanael Greene (Andrea Atzeni 9-2). Fair to state that the other fifteen runners were out-classed. Final time clocked was 3:31:00, for two miles.

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The Duty-Free Irish Derby is being heralded as a double for Auguste Roden. He has to go some, in order to beat White Birch and Sprewell. This runs today afternoon at the Curragh. Auguste Rodin will take on eight rivals in Sunday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, as he bids to become the first horse since Harzand in 2016, to win the Epsom Derby and follow up.

Irish Derby runners and riders

Adelaide River Seamie Heffernan

Auguste Rodin Ryan Moore

Covent Garden Declan McDonogh

Peking Opera Tom Marquand

Proud And Regal Gavin Ryan

San Antonio Wayne Lordan

Sprewell Shane Foley

Up And Under Mikey Sheehy

White Birch Dylan Browne McMonagle