OUT of luck at Royal Ascot earlier, the O’Brien brothers, Joseph and Donnacha, kept home fires burning on this Leopardstown programme with three winners between them.

Joseph was first out of the traps, as his Thoroughbred Racing Syndicate-owned Relaxed Artist (9/2) took the opening Irish EBF Auction Series Race. This was the start of a brace that the Piltown operator was to share with jockey Declan McDonogh.

McDonogh always had this course-and-distance fourth from last month to the fore. The Zoffany juvenile was in front over a furlong out and held on well. Tom Mullins’ filly Gabbys Girl ran very well for second, to be three-parts of a length down at the line.

O’Brien stable representative Brendan Powell said: “It’s just natural progression from his first run. He’s done it well and it looks like he’s bounced off the ground.”

For the Lloyd J Williams Syndicate, Hype (9/4) completed a good evening’s work for Carriganóg Racing and McDonogh in the Dundrum Handicap.

It didn’t look likely when McDonogh (two-day suspension for using his whip with excessive frequency) was pushing his mount along approaching the straight but to the great credit of the Siyouni colt, off the track since a maiden win in October at Dundalk, he came home strongly to touch off Windsor Pass by a head.

“He’s a gorgeous looking horse but Declan said he was just a bit ring-rusty. He ran a bit wide off the bend through greenness, had a blow but when he knuckled down he stayed on well,” reflected Powell. “He’s an honest genuine horse and I think he’s just given him time to mature.”

Apprentice Paddy Harnett had his first winner of the season and first for Donnacha O’Brien when Igraine (22/1) sprung a surprise in the Sandycove Handicap.

In her first time outside of maiden company, Igraine, owned and bred by O’Brien’s parents, seemed to sharpen up for the addition of cheekpieces as she stepped up in trip.

Colin Keane dropped his whip in the final furlong, aboard odds-on favourite Lunar Power, and the winner tightened him up slightly in the closing stages. After a steward’s enquiry a two-and-a-quarter-length win was unsurprisingly confirmed.

Beamish looks another smart recruit as Lee doubles up

BILLY Lee took the main plaudits elsewhere, scoring a 17/1 double in quick succession.

Coill Na Sionainne (9/2) was always well-positioned to strike under Lee in the Leopardstown Handicap. Once sent about her business a furlong and a half out, the response was very positive for a two-and-a-half-length win over Never Seen Before.

At an improvement in form enquiry (11th over the course and distance when favourite on May 14th), winning trainer Willie McCreery reported that Coill Na Sionainne probably ran back too soon on that occasion. The Against All Odds Partnership-owned five-year-old was said to have boiled over and ran free that afternoon. Here the So You Think mare was ridden tactically the same but settled very well. Those explanations were noted.

Half an hour on, the seriously formidable alliance of Lee, and owner/trainer Paddy Twomey, came together for another victory as Beamish (9/4 joint favourite) made a winning debut in the Leopardstown.com Median Auction Maiden.

Beamish led over a furlong out, keeping on strongly in the final furlong to beat fellow market leader Kazakdaria by three lengths.

“I knew he’d be green but I was hopeful that he would run a nice race,” remarked Twomey. “I hadn’t thought past today but he has a nice way of going and he likes that fast ground.”

Blazing Star, a beaten favourite on her three previous outings, came good in the Belarmine Maiden.

Things went nicely for the Juddmonte-ownedDark Angel filly as she made all from her draw near the rail in stall two. Ridden a furlong and a half out, Blazing Star, again market-leader at 11/10, kept on well in the final furlong to beat Ballydoyle’s Jeroboam by a length and three-quarters.

Ger Lyons and Colin Keane combined for the win with Blazing Star and the trainer’s brother Shane said: “She has plenty of early closing entries but after watching that Ger thinks that we may pull stumps for a little bit and give her a break.”

MUSALSAL (11/4 favourite) put a third career success on the board, gaining reward for his consistency in the Leopardstown Golf Course & Driving Range Handicap.

Third-placer Zahee was unlucky in running and stormed home, but up front, in the hands of Scott McCullagh, Musalsal did enough to get the better of Fridtjof Nansen by three-parts of a length.

“Scott gave him a great ride and the horse seems to be in a terrific vein of form,” said successful handler Richard O’Brien.

Owned by the Musalsal Syndicate, the hardy Shamardal gelding is likely to be back in action quickly, possibly at Naas on Wednesday.

The Dun Laoghaire (Q.R.) Maiden, the nightcap, saw an impressive performance from Jessica Harrington’s previous bumper horse, Ever Present, on his flat debut.

Owned and bred by Mrs Patino, the Elusive Pimpernel gelding has really helped to get the name of amateur rider Mikey McGuane out there, as his two wins have now come aboard the youngster, who competed here at the Dublin Racing Festival in February.

The 6/1 victor travelled well in fourth entering the straight and he was ridden to challenge a furlong and a half out before keeping on strongly in the final furlong to comfortably account for Monas Melody by six lengths.