A RACE that featured Hit It A Bomb’s first run since October instead went to another long absent three-year-old as Tribal Beat produced the performance of his life to strike gold in the Invesco Pension Consultants Desmond Stakes.

Off the track since finishing second in Killavullan Stakes on the penultimate day of the 2015 season, Tribal Beat was boldly supplemented into this one-mile Group 3. He could emerge as a miler of some substance this autumn, and Hit It A Bomb also offered considerable promise with an honourable third place.

The stage looked set for the unbeaten Breeders’ Cup winner to get his season off to a successful start as he edged into a narrow lead as the final furlong loomed.

Tribal Beat, who had looked on from midfield, was launching a strong challenge for Kevin Manning at this point and the Godolphin-owned son of Street Cry sustained his effort in fine style late on.

He moved past Hit It A Bomb and Custom Cut around 100 yards out and kept on well to defeat last year’s winner Cougar Mountain by a length and three-quarters. There was just a neck back to Hit It A Bomb.

“He’s a good horse and has to have the ground good or better. A mile or maybe nine furlongs is as far as he wants to go,” said Bolger. “He was just held up by small little things but we’ve had a good run with him for the last six weeks.”

Of the third-placed horse, Aidan O’Brien said: “He came there to win but just got a little bit tired. He’ll improve plenty for this and may come back here next month for the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes.”

The card began with a tremendous performance from the Michael O’Callaghan newcomer Holy Cat, who landed quite a gamble in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

The Qatar Racing-owned daughter of top American sire Kitten’s Joy attracted nothing short of a tidal wave of support just before the off, which meant that her price plummeted from 7/1 into 11/4 for this six-furlong heat.

Holy Cat travelled nicely for Colin Keane and when she was asked to pick up Alphabet inside the last quarter of a mile the response was impressive. Holy Cat led entering the last furlong and surged clear to hand out a near five-length beating to her aforementioned rival.

“That wasn’t a surprise. I thought she was very good and she’s never been off the bridle at home,” reported the trainer.

“She came from the breeze-ups, where Tom Whitehead had her, and she’s my best two-year-old at the minute. She got a Cheveley Park entry yesterday and ideally I’d like to get another run into her between now and then. I think there’s still a lot of improvement in her.”

Colin Keane and Qatar Racing went on to enjoy a double as Brutal, who had endured narrow and unlucky defeats on his last two starts got his turn in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden. The Ballydoyle newcomer Finn McCool was sent off the 11/10 favourite here but his chances were severely compromised by a dramatic early mishap.

He jumped on to the road crossing in the backstraight and then jumped off it and Seamie Heffernan did quite well to keep the partnership intact.

GALWAY EDUCATION

For his part, Brutal was much too strong for Diodorus in the closing stages. The 3/1 chance led with over a furlong to run and soon moved clear for a decisive two and a quarter-length victory. There was a further seven and a half-length gap back to Finn McCool.

“It’s taken a while for the penny to drop with him but we were hoping that he’d have learnt a lot from his Galway experience; it’s a very good place to educate them,” reported the trainer’s brother Shane Lyons.

“Mentally he’s still immature and he might have one more this season on Champions Weekend (Golden Fleece Stakes) and next season we will look forward to him as a nice mile and a quarter three-year-old.”

MASTERFUL DOWNEY

A masterful ride from Robbie Downey enabled Captain Power to gain a measure of compensation for his recent disqualification at Naas. The top-weight and 7/4 favourite in this six-furlong contest looked to have plenty to do as the runners approached the straight.

The field soon compressed but Downey bided his time further and Captain Power was still at the rear as the last furlong loomed. When he was unleashed with his charge, the four-year-old quickened smartly to collar the front-running Great Wide Open in the final yards.

“I’m not just saying it because he’s my apprentice, but Robbie gave him a bloody good ride,” commented Eddie Lynam. “The horse pulls up in front and because of that the stewards in Naas probably made the decision that they did. I said to Robbie to leave it later than late. I’m glad for the horse and his owner Sabena Power; it’s her birthday today.”

Sharliyna looked like a filly who could be destined for better things as she made a smooth start to her career in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. The three-year-old daughter of Pivotal was returned the 10/11 favourite under Pat Smullen and, having looked on from midfield, she closed in on the leaders nearing the final furlong. Sharliyna was soon in control and she crossed the line with three and a half lengths to spare over Truffles.

“Perhaps it wasn’t the strongest of maidens, but she did it nicely for her first run. She’s a progressive filly,” said Dermot Weld, who trains the winner for the Aga Khan.

BRILLIANT FINISH

Easily the finish of the night came in the second of the six-furlong handicaps where two winners from the previous week, Jim Bolger’s McGuigan and Tommy Stack’s Victorious Secret, were separated by just a short-head. A searing early pace meant that both had it all to do from the turn in, but both closed as the leaders faltered.

Once again, Killian Leonard charted an inspired passage through on the inner on Victorious Secret, but she was pipped by the Kevin Manning-ridden McGuigan, who was showing remarkable versatility having scored over nine furlongs here last time.

The Jackie Bolger-owned winner, who was one of four 5/1 co-favourites, could head to Killarney on Thursday.

The teak-tough Udogo (8/1), who had been placed on all four of his starts since winning here in early June, turned in a thoroughly resilient effort from the front under Ana O’Brien in the apprentice riders’ handicap. The Joseph O’Brien-trained gelding kept finding more in the straight to contain the persistent favourite Windsor Beach and he carried the day by half a length.

“He’s a tough horse. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he tries very hard,” said O’Brien of the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate-owned winner. “He’s not the biggest horse but he has schooled well over hurdles.