Ryan Moore was at his best as Heavens Gate showed a game attitude to land the Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

A consistent performer for trainer Aidan O’Brien this term, she followed up her maiden win at this track earlier in the summer with placed efforts in both the Albany Stakes and Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.

The daughter of Churchill scooped €148,500 when winning the Ballyhane Stakes before producing a further respectable effort in stakes company in the Lowther at York and she set the standard for this Group 3 event, moving up to seven furlongs.

Tracking the early pace set by Joseph O’Brien’s Mojave River, Heavens Gate travelled smoothly into contention and when urged to go between horses and hit the front with a furlong to run, she stuck her head down and galloped for home.

Gavin Cromwell’s Fiery Lucy kept her honest deep inside the final furlong but the 11/8 favourite was not for passing as she registered her third success of the season.

“Ryan thinks that she’ll get a mile, riding her patiently. He said she quickened well and waited when she got there. He was very happy with her,” said O’Brien.

“She deserved that, she’s after having two very big runs.”

When asked if the Breeders’ Cup could be on the agenda for later in the autumn, O’Brien added: “It’s very possible. Round the bends, loads of speed, that’s what you need.”

Bred by Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading, Heavens Gate is by Churchill out of the Danzig mare, Itqaan, winner of a Pontefract three-year-old maiden for Shadwell in 2005 before being sold in 2014 for €72,000. She has bred four other winners but none of them blacktype.

Curragh specialist

My Mate Alfie continued his Curragh love affair by claiming the SBK Renaissance Stakes.

Ger Lyons’ son of Dark Angel has already won the Listed Dash and ultra-competitive Bold Lad Sprint Handicap at the Kildare track this term and was sent off 7/2 to add to his tally in this Group 3 event.

Amongst the group that included Karl Burke’s raiding Spycatcher and Adrian McGuinness’ Go Athletico chasing the pace set by track stalwart Big Gossey, My Mate Alfie was always in the ideal position to strike.

Colin Keane asked his mount to pounce inside the final furlong and he responded instantly, running on powerfully to break the heart of the evergreen Big Gossey who finished a vanquished second.

Sheila Lavery’s Bold Lad runner-up Torivega took third, with 3/1 favourite Super Sox fourth and Spycatcher eventually fading into fifth.

“He’s straightforward and I’m happy to have him. He’s just improved all season,” said Lyons.

“We said we’d teach him how to sprint all year, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. He is just after rocking up and improving all year. I think he’s won what he has deserved, a Group 3.

“He couldn’t get near Givemethebeatboys early in the year but the way he has improved now, if they had to meet in a match he’d have to give him six or seven pounds.

“It’s a credit to the horse. We know he’ll get seven, I promised the owner that if he let me do it my way this year we’d go touring next year, so I’ll have to come up with a plan to get out of that one!

“He makes you look good, he’s so straightforward. You’d think these sprinters are high octane and hard to deal with, but he’s so laidback and I think that’s the secret to his success. He’s handled any ground as well.”

This result might be seen as a well-needed tonic for Lyons following the defeat of his star filly Babouche in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

However, the handler admitted he is still “on the ground” having watched the filly taste defeat for the first time.

“It was disappointing, simple as that, it didn’t happen,” continued Lyons.

“We knew she wouldn’t handle the ground but she is still a good filly and I still have a fantastic bunch of three-year-olds to look forward to next year. But I’m not going to lie to you, I’m on the ground.”