DYLAN Browne McMonagle and Joseph O’Brien teamed up to take the featured Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes as Warnie continued his upward trajectory in this listed race.

The son of Highland Reel, thrown in the deep end on debut in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot before winning a Bellewstown maiden, was ridden to lead over a furlong out and the 9/2 chance kept on gamely to hold off the odds-on Deepone by three-quarters of a length.

“He’s a lovely colt and keeps on improving. The pace was steady and it got a bit messy off the bend and I got a bump. It took a little while to get him organised in the straight but he picked up really well when I got after him,” said Browne McMonagle, sporting the colours of Australian Nathan Bennett.

“He gets through that ground (yielding to soft) well but is a good mover and could be even better on top of the ground.”

Step up

Lady Tilbury maintained her 100% record at the track (three from three) in the Tipperary Town Race and will now step back up into stakes company.

Just four went to post in the five-furlong contest and Luke McAteer gave the 2/1 shot a patient ride before getting on top inside the final 100 yards to beat Harmony Rose by half-a-length.

Winning trainer David Marnane said: “The last day (at the Curragh) the ground came up way too soft and maybe she was in season as she was a bit quiet for a few days after but she was a different ball game today and was like a colt in the yard.

“She’s thriving on racing and physically getting better. I think she’ll make a nice four-year-old but unfortunately we might be selling her at the end of the season as it’s part of the terms of the (MRC International) syndicate.

“She’s been stakes-placed twice and will go to Naas in 12 days for a six-furlong Group 3 and then back here for a listed race over five. Hopefully we can get that win in a blacktype race.”

Lilius and O’Leary make it in good time

ALOYSIUS Lilius recorded his sixth career win when swooping late under Colin Keane to land the Coast To Curragh Charity Cycle On 26th August Handicap.

The Gregorian gelding, formerly trained by his owner Ger O’Leary before handing over the reins to Darren Bunyan this year, quickened up well between horses inside the final furlong to ultimately score by a cosy length and a half at odds of 12/1.

O’Leary said: “Colin knows him pretty well and won on him at Naas and Bellewstown last year. He just needed the run here last time and comes right this time of the year.

“I hopped on a train in Heuston at 3pm and got here at 4.30pm. I’m in the Lady Tilbury syndicate as well so it’s been a good day.”

Weld winner

Shelaka upset some better fancied rivals when making a successful debut at odds of 16/1 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Trained by Dermot Weld for the Aga Khan, the daughter of Lope De Vega made headway on the outer in the straight and led in the final 100 yards to get the better of 8/11 favourite Andromeda by three-quarters of a length.

Hayes said: “It was her first day at school and we planned to give her a chance to find her feet. I was impressed the way she picked up.

“She ran a little bit green the last 100 yards but ran through the line. She handled the ground well and has the potential to be a stakes filly.”

Space comes of Age for Murphy team

TRAINER John Murphy recorded a 1-2 in the Tipperaryraces.ie (C&G) Maiden with 4/1 (available at 7/1 earlier in the day) shot Space Age travelling well to lead over a furlong out before quickly asserting under Ben Coen to beat stablemate Helter Skelter by three and a half lengths.

“He’d a good run at the Curragh his run before last. The next day then a few of ours were running a bit flat around that time so we freshened him up.

That was a good performance and he’s a nice horse,” said Murphy’s son and assistant trainer George of the Hewins Hoare Partnership-owned gelding.

Change of luck

Elda provided Curragh trainer Andrew Kinirons with a welcome change of luck wen taking the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The well-backed 6/1 shot showed good speed throughout and kept on well to beat Never Shout Never by three-quarters of a length.

“It was Sean (Bowen)’s first ride for us and I was very impressed with him. She’s a progressive filly and shows loads of pace at home,” said Kinirons. “The Brownes are great owners and very loyal to us. We’ve had a lot of placed horses this year and we needed that.”

L’un Deux Trois, available at 20/1 overnight and sent off at 7/1, recorded his third career win when leading inside the final furlong under Sorcha Woods to beat Black Soul by half a length in the Gain The Advantage Series (Ladies) Handicap.

“I thought they might have gone a bit slow for him early on but he travelled into the race lovely and did it well in the end. Oliver (McKiernan, trainer) was hopeful and he’s done it well,” said Woods.