SUNCHART (6/1) once again proved his liking for Naas by winning the TOTE Irish EBF Devoy Stakes for the second year in succession. Andy Slattery’s stable stalwart claimed the biggest victory of his career in this listed heat 12 months ago and repeated the feat on his first start since October.

Dallas Star took the field along for much of the 10-furlong contest, before being joined by the favourite Trustyourinstinct, but the Pat Garvey-owned Sunchart soon arrived on the outside, under the trainer’s son Andrew, to throw down his challenge.

The further Slattery’s charge went, the more decisive his victory became and he was ultimately well on top as he passed the post with two and three-quarter lengths in hand over Enfranchise.

“He loves this place and never runs a bad race here,” said the winning trainer. “It’s a pity they wouldn’t put on a few more of those races here for me!

“It’s great to have a servant like him. We might go travelling this year, because he’s eight.

“We might go to Germany or somewhere like that, where he’d get soft ground.”

FOLLOWING a Friday night double at Dundalk, East Hampton (7/1) rounded off a profitable weekend for trainer David Marnane, with a decisive victory in the Irish Racing Writers Association Ron McKnight Memorial Madrid Handicap.

Having been gelded during the off-season, the three-year-old looked much improved, as he pulled a length and a half clear of the runner-up Wizard Of Odds in the hands of Luke McAteer.

Marnane, who trains the winner for MRC International, said: “We’ll see where he lands, he’s a good horse anyway. Six was as far as he’d gone and Luke gave him a fabulous ride, dropped him in and got him to switch off as best he could.

“As long as there is a bit of ease in the ground, we’ll keep going.”

AIDAN O’Brien sent out his first winner of the Irish turf season, as Trinity College (10/11 fav) made all under Wayne Lordan to beat stablemate Acapulco Bay in the TRM - Supplements You Can Trust Race over a mile.

Carrying the colours of Masaaki Matsushima, who owns the Dubawi colt with breeders Coolmore partners, the bay responded well under pressure.

He went on to score by two lengths, as the 5lb lower-rated runner-up could find no more late on.

“It was nice to get him started, he had some very good runs last year,” said O’Brien.

“He’ll have no problem going up to a mile and a quarter, I’d imagine. We’ll look at a Derby trial and he could be a French Derby horse.

“The second horse will definitely get a mile and a quarter and could even get further.”

Promising colt goes one better

The Noel Meade-trained Rowdy Yeats (5/1) looks set to go on to bigger and better things, after impressing in the Space Traveller At Compas Stallions Maiden over seven furlongs.

Runner-up on each of his two juvenile starts last season, the Ballylinch Stud-owned colt made most of the running and quickened up smartly for Jamie Powell in the final furlong to beat market leader Storm Piece by three and a half lengths.

The winning trainer said: “I fancied him today and there is no reason why he can’t run in good races.

“Jamie said he travelled smoothly and just got a bit idle in front, but he said he was full of horse and thought he might get further.”

Faiyum justifies stakes entry

Ger Lyons introduced a promising Frankel filly in the Aesop’s Fables Irish EBF (Fillies) Maiden, as 2/1 joint-favourite Faiyum came home in front under Colin Keane.

Racing over a mile, the Juddmonte home-bred came from mid-division and made headway from over two furlongs out, and went away to beat Wannabe Royal by two and three-quarter lengths.

“We knew she was nice, but she’s green as grass and there should be buckets of improvement in her,” said Lyons.

“We don’t take them away, so that’s her first day out of Glenburnie. Her sister [Rising Sign] handled that ground, so we thought it wouldn’t be a problem.

“The Park Express Stakes closed the other day and I put her in it, because I said you’d look silly if you didn’t. Fingers crossed that she keeps progressing.”

Easy as you like for Noble Nation

NOBLE Nation (3/1 fav) made light of a lengthy absence since winning at Sligo last August, when hacking up under Shane Foley in the Dubawi Legend At Compas Stallions Handicap.

The Sioux Nation gelding, owned and trained by Ger O’Leary, readily went clear of his rivals, before being eased down to win by five and a half lengths from Catherine Chroi.

“God knows what rating we’re going to get after this, but Shane said the ground is the key to him, as soft as you can get it,” said O’Leary.

“He’s a half-brother to a good sprinter I had called Primo Uomo and six furlongs is his trip.”

Cool dude does it in style

Hurricane Ivor (20/1) was an equally facile winner of the DAR Golf Handicap, prominent throughout under Scott McCullagh and kicking well-clear in the straight, before being eased right down to beat Money Dancer by three and three-quarter lengths.

“I thought the ground was maybe a bit heavy for him, but when he’s in a going mood like that, he’s very strong,“ said trainer Jessica Harrington.

“He’s such a cool dude and loves bossing it. He’s been some servant to Fiona Carmichael.”

Mulvany continues good run

Well-supported before racing, Dance For Chester (4/1) pounced late to continue a good start to the season for Mick Mulvany in the Far Above At Compas Stallions Three-Year-Old Handicap.

Wesley Joyce got the Ribchester gelding rolling inside the final furlong to secure a three-parts-of-a-length win over Eric Lock.

Mulvany, who was saddling his fourth winner of the month, said of the Magpie’s Nest Syndicate’s winner: “We knew he’d probably handle a bit of give in the ground, but I thought five furlongs might be a bit short.”