EZIYRA stayed on strongly to be an appropriate winner of the C.L. & M.F. Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh and head into winter quarters as a potential classic candidate.

Trained by Dermot Weld in whose late parents' memory the Group 3 race is run, the Aga Khan-owned filly kept with the bulk of the field who moved over to the near side and led about a furlong out under Pat Smullen.

Godolphin's Grecian Light, trained by Charlie Appleby, was the only rival to threaten in the closing stages but she was kept at bay as the 5-4 favourite scored by two lengths. Legitimus was four and a quarter lengths away in third spot.

Weld, who was winning this race for the first time since 1999, said: "She's been very consistent and that was an excellent performance. That's it for this year.

"I hope she will develop into an Irish 1,000 Guineas filly next year. We put the hood on to help her to settle as she was a bit keen the last day. I see her as a miler next year. Pat maintains she wants good ground as she is not the strongest of fillies physically, and she has a beautiful action."

Smullen said: "Her form was good coming into the race, she was entitled to be favourite. No question she was in better humour today than the last day (second to Sea Of Grace in the Flame Of Tara Stakes), so the hood helped."

RaceBets clipped the winner to 18-1 from 20-1 for the Investec Oaks.

WINNING FAVOURITE

The Happy Prince recorded his first pattern-race success when running out a smooth winner of the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes.

The four-year-old had shown he was capable of winning at a high level when only beaten a short-head in the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster recently.

The 11-4 favourite put that experience to good use in this six-furlong contest as he defeated Flight Risk by three-quarters of a length in the testing conditions under Ryan Moore. The Henry Candy-trained La Rioja ran a creditable race and was just a nose away in third.

Winning trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "He's definitely improving. Ryan said he would have no problem going back to five furlongs as he has plenty of speed. He's more straightforward and is really enjoying it now."

14-1 SURPRISE

Vociferous Marina, the longer price of Jim Bolger's two runners, stepped up on her debut a week ago, to open her account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at the Curragh. The daughter of Vocalised came with a strong run under Ronan Whelan towards the outside to settle the issue in a matter of strides.

Vociferous Marina (14-1) got first run on Finn McCool, who stayed on well for second place, but was a length and a three-quarters behind the comfortable winner at the line.

The first two pulled nine lengths clear of newcomer Low Latency in third. Bolger's other contender Treaty Of Vienna was fourth after being prominent for most of the contest.

Bolger said: "She ran well at Gowran and obviously stepped up from that. She goes on the ground which helps, and I'd say she will get a mile. She could run again this year."

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