JAMIE Powell teamed up with trainer Noel Meade to win the featured JJ Mahon & Sons Irish EBF Stayers Handicap on Golden Temple at the Curragh on Friday evening.

In fighting off the persistent challenge of The Truant to win by a neck, the 12/1 chance was following up two recent victories over hurdles.

Meade said of the Spice Of Life Partnership-owned gelding: “When we started with him as a two-year-old we thought he was the best two-year-old we had. He’s bred to be a sprinter. In fairness to Robbie Colgan, he rode him one day in Fairyhouse over a mile and a half and rode him like that and just got touched off.

“He belonged to Paul and Patricia Hunt and at the end of the year a few of them had to go as Paul had passed on. Albert (Dravins) asked me if there was anything worth buying and we always felt he was some good and that he could win a race somewhere.

“He jumps very well and he has improved. He stays very well. He keeps at it and I told Jamie if he was going well, he was going too slow because he’d need to get the rest of them off the bridle and at it because he just keeps galloping.

“I watched the race with Paul Flynn (trainer of runner-up The Truant) and Paul beating me and I was beating him, it was very funny. His owner’s partner passed away last year and they are having a charity golf day and they are all over at that.

“He’s probably a horse for the two-mile-five race on the Saturday at Galway. We’ll have to stay at two miles whatever we do on the flat.”

Newcomer

Trainer Aidan O’Brien also introduced a nice newcomer in the shape of Lake Victoria (Frankel - Quiet Reflection). Ridden by Ryan Moore, the 5/2 joint-favourite kept on strongly to win the Kildare House Hotel Irish EBF Fillies Maiden by a head from Red Letter.

O’Brien later reported of the Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs John Magnier-owned winner: “She was showing lovely work at home. It was her first day out, first day at the track, so you’d have to be very happy with her.

“She was green and Ryan said he didn’t mean to send her on as early but when she went there, she started pricking her ears and waiting.

“Obviously, she’ll go into one of the good fillies’ races. She has loads of speed, they didn’t go very fast but she still travelled very well and quickened very well. I think probably on to the Silver Flash or something like that.”

JAMES Ryan followed up last year’s victory in the same race when guiding Courageous Strike to win the Fitzpatrick’s Mercedes-Benz Apprentice Derby Handicap.

Despite being sent off a 28/1 outsider, the Amo Racing Limited-owned gelding stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to get up to win by half a length.

Ryan later reported of the Adrian Murray-trained three-year-old: “It was great, the race worked out perfect. We were keen to slot in and get settled. We were handled a bad draw, I sort of missed the kick on purpose and slotted in. They went a million and it just fell apart. Trying to get around them was the hardest part.

“Once I got a clear run, I was able to slowly build it up and he did it well in the end. It’s his first time over this trip. He ran a very good race the last time over a mile-and-one and I knew looking at him he had plenty of boot.

“It’s great to get the ride on this lad and thanks very much to Adrian and the lads for giving me the opportunity.”

Beckman belied odds of 20/1 to make a winning debut for Ger Lyons in the opening Cunningham’s Of Kildare Irish EBF Maiden.

Colin Keane produced the Newtown Anner Stud Ltd-owned Beckford colt from off to pace to win by three-quarters of a length. The winning trainer said: “He’s a nice horse. I was a little bit taken aback when I saw the yearling allocation and I saw what he was by.

“The horse has always shown he was a nice horse and it just goes to prove to you that every horse gets a horse.

“He’s been very slow in coming and he had a winter coat for a while. Then about three or four weeks ago I said that this horse wins a seven-furlong maiden and he’s ready for a start. They went a million and he hit the line strong, which was the way we wanted.

“I have to congratulate Maurice [Regan] on breeding him, especially doing it with his own sire. No doubt he’ll be getting a long string of mares to be covered by Beckford!

“Sadly he’s not here. He was there on Wednesday and had his winner and we’ve had another winner for him so we’re delighted with that. We’ll take this horse home and watch him.”

BACK Down Under proved a popular winner for local trainer Padraig Roche when getting up to land the Harp Bar Kildare Handicap.

Chris Hayes was in the saddle as the 6/1 chance prevailed by a head in a tight finish. Roche later said of the filly who carried the colours of the Back Down Under Syndicate: “I’d like to thank Frank (Berry) and J.P. and Noreen (McManus) for giving her to us. We leased her out last year. She’s been a bit unlucky and we had a bit of stalls work to do with her.

“Chris rode her yesterday morning and she jumped out well. We thought she’d run well if she jumped and she did, and the step up to seven really helped her I’d say. Chris gave her a great ride. He said at halfway he thought he was going to run well and she stuck it out well so we’re delighted.

“We’re going to enjoy today and there will be a lot of celebrations. This weekend means a lot to the town and the lads are all local. To have a winner here on Derby weekend is unbelievable.”

Murtagh on the board

Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen landed the O’Dooles Restaurant Irish EBF Maiden with 6/4 favourite Siege Of Troy.

Carrying the colours of Qatar Racing Limited, the filly stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to win by one and a quarter lengths.

Murtagh said: “I was very disappointed walking out of Gowran the last time, we think a lot of this one. She’s a good filly, big engine and a well-bred filly. I said to Ben last time to dolly around and give her a nice kick at the bottom of the straight but she was under pressure from a long way out.

“I put the cheekpieces on her today just to help her travel. She’s a nice filly and she will keep improving, I think. She’s big and she’s raw, Ben says she should get a mile and a half no problem.

“I’m a bit happier today. When she went to the front, he said she pricked her ears. He was travelling really well and he didn’t want to kick on two down ,but when he asked her to go, she quickened up and stole a bit. She won well at the line.”

Three for Lord

Lord Church won his third race in as many starts when getting up to take the Silken Thomas And Lock 13 Handicap for Michael Halford and Tracey Collins.

Again ridden by Ronan Whelan, the 7/2 favourite kept on strongly inside the final furlong to prevail by three-quarters of length. On winning three in a row Halford said of the Homely Equines Ltd-owned gelding: “It’s a hard enough thing to do. He got into a little handicap mark last year. He’s a very big horse and he was weak last year so he found a good mark for himself and progressed well over the winter.

“We’re lucky he has a good patient owner and thank God, the races have come up and fallen right for him. He was quite buzzy as a two-year-old and it took us a good while to get him to relax and switch off.

“The plan was the first two races and then I said to Brian (Gallivan) we’d play it by ear with him. He’s probably due a break now and then we’ll see where we go from there.

“He’ll probably get another furlong in time but we won’t be too hard on him. Brian has no intention of moving him on so we’ll have him for a while I hope. For a big horse, he’s a good actioned horse, so he’s versatile.”