THE admirable Surrounding took her form to a new high as she repelled a strong challenge from across the Irish Sea to take the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes for Michael Halford and Ronan Whelan.

The Peter Newell-owned six-year-old only began her career two years ago but she has more than made up for lost time as she was adding this initial pattern race success to a pair of victories at listed level. After only just failing to shoulder top weight to victory in a premier handicap on Irish Derby weekend, the daughter of Lilbourne Lad lined up with a career high rating of 106 and her rich vein of form made compelling appeal with punters who ensured she was returned the 2/1 favourite.

As is her wont, Surrounding did everything right throughout this seven-furlong contest and she took over in front with over a furlong to go before finding any amount for pressure to defeat David O’Meara’s Perfection by a length.

This was a second win in the race for Halford following Miss Sally’s victory in 2005.

“She’s a very sound, genuine mare who just loves her racing and she epitomises everything that you’d want in a racehorse,” said Halford. “She’s six but she’s still improving and that was a really good effort over a trip that suits her well. It’s quite possible that she run back in the Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh this weekend as she is one that takes her racing so well.”

Ronan Whelan then brought a double as the reliable Lyrical Attraction (5/1) recorded her third success of the season in the Making Dreams Come True Handicap over a mile and a half.

The daughter of Dandy Man relished this trip and, having been niggled along before the turn-in, she was at her strongest over the last furlong and a half as she defeated the favourite Laura Bullion by three and a half lengths.

“She keeps finding and improving and she’s very consistent.

“We’ll have a think about Galway but she does have to have the ground quick,” commented Jarlath Fahey who trains the winner for Catherine Harrison.

AFTER beginning her career with a promising third to A New Dawn at Naas last month, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Unforgetable (8/1) followed up with a commanding victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over six furlongs. The Muhaarar half-sister to the multiple Group 2-winning Libranno set sail for home with well over a furlong to run and from this point on she was always in command for Shane Crosse.

At the line the John Oxley-owned filly had two and a half lengths to spare over Pronouncement and she should be quite at home when she moves up to stakes level. The favourite, So Wonderful, was beaten a further two and a half lengths into third having stumbled badly leaving the stalls.

Mid Winster got back to her juvenile form to spring a 20/1 surprise in the six-furlong handicap where she made it three winners in as many days for Andy Slattery. The David Spratt-owned daughter of Burwaaz had struggled on her first two outings this term but she had dropped 8lbs in the ratings and returned in excellent heart after a break of two months.

Ben Coen produced the strong-travelling filly to lead with over a furlong to run before a near four-length triumph over That’s Not Me.

“She’s a very good filly but she was just wrong earlier in the year,” commented the trainer’s brother, Brian. “She was fourth in a good listed race last year and we think she’s a blacktype filly but we will weigh up our options and see what the handicapper does.”

Oisin Orr, whose previous best tally for a season was 20 winners coming into this year, made it 28 victories for the season in the 45-65 rated mile-and-a-half handicap which was turned into a rather one-sided affair by the Peter Fahey-trained Eadbhard. The 11/2 shot had shown signs of hitting form with two recent placed runs but jumped forward for this assignment to score by six and a half lengths. The four-year-old is owned by the Winter Is Coming Partnership.

BEN Coen’s first cousin Andy Slattery (right) also got amongst the winners as the Dot Love-trained Hidden Spark shed her maiden tag in the first division of the 45-65 rated seven-furlong handicap. A drop in trip from 10 furlongs worked the oracle for the Quantas Syndicate-owned daughter of Dream Ahead who came with a steady charge to make her way past the Coen-ridden Silk Cravat in the final yards. A trip to Galway could be next for the 5/1 favourite.

The second division of the seven-furlong handicap went to the 25/1 shot Nakakande who was recording her first success since joining Karl Thornton for 6,000gns last autumn. The Gary Ryan-owned filly was produced late by Robbie Colgan to get home by half a length from Little Camacho. She too could have Galway on her agenda.

Thornton paid tribute to former jockey Ian Brennan who recommended the filly to the trainer last year.

Tim Doyle’s first winner of the season arrived in style as the Billy Lee-ridden Super Treat (3/1) outclassed his rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over seven furlongs.

A wide draw was no problem for the James Monaghan-owned and bred three-year-old who cruised clear of the field over the last furlong and a half to win by three lengths.