SIR Yoshi (9/4 favourite) finalised his Royal Ascot preparations when landing the Tipperary (C&G) Maiden under jockey Luke McAteer.

Runner-up on Dundalk debut and then placed third behind a subsequent winner at Cork, David Marnane’s MRC International-owned colt raced with the leaders and got on top close home to beat Passing Phase by a half length.

Afterwards Marnane said: “We like him but he obviously wants quicker ground than that.

“I blame myself for the last day as I told Luke to take his time. He pinged the gates though and we ended up doing neither or, and they crowded him and he got intimidated.

“He came home well though and I wanted to get one more run into him before going to Ascot.

“He’ll go for the Windsor Castle, sure why not, as he is tough and we don’t know how good he is as he is very, very lazy.

“He is exceptionally lazy but yet he always seems to get there.

“His biggest attribute for Ascot is his relaxed temperament, which is what you need, and he has a bit of pace.”

Surpassed the traffic

Owned by the Coolmore partners, Surpass (13/8 favourite) overcame greenness and some in-running traffic to make a winning debut in the Tipperary Races Median Auction Maiden for trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore.

Confined to horses whose sire established a median yearling sales price of not more than €60,000, the winning Saxon Warrior colt missed the break and raced in rear and while also switched twice in the home straight, quickened smartly to beat Shocker by a neck.

O’Brien’s representative Chris Armstrong reported: “He is a work in progress, was still very babyish in the preliminaries and once he develops he will be a lovely horse. Ryan gave him a lovely introduction and they went a nice tempo throughout, which suited him.

“He could be one for the Tyros Stakes and while we don’t have many Saxon Warriors, the ones we have are very nice and the sire is having a good run of it at the moment. He is one to look forward to and we’ll see the best of him as a three-year-old.”

THE Ger Lyons-trained Himalayan Heights (9/4) made all the running under Colin Keane in the mile and a half maiden. 

Runner-up in his previous two starts, Abdulla Alkhalifa’s Camelot colt was clear entering the straight and kept on well to beat useful hurdler Man O Work by a length and a half. 

Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: “That is lovely for new connections into the yard, who had horses with Gerard Butler some years ago.

“It was beautiful summer ground at Leopardstown the last day but we didn’t think he let himself down on the ground, behind Highbury. He is a big horse and Colin said he didn’t enjoy that ground either - he wants just a nice ease.

“Colin has no rules and when the horse became a bit ‘chewy’, there was no point fighting him as he has had three runs, and he did the right thing by letting him go to the front.

“He is an autumn horse and is definitely a next-year horse so we’ll enjoy making a plan with him.”

Sceptred sheds maiden tag

Seven-year-old Sceptred Isle (28/1) had indicated when third at Navan on her previous start that a first victory may be within her compass and it duly arrived in the concluding mile and a half handicap. 

The daughter of Cityscape was dropped out towards rear by Siobhan Rutledge and travelled powerfully throughout. She was produced to lead inside the final furlong and mastered Paradise Lost by two lengths.

Owned by Noel Nugent, the winner is now with trainer number five in the shape of George Kingston who said: “We had a few quid each-way on her at Navan and got paid, but Siobhan was kicking herself as she thought she should have won. This looked competitive but she handled the ground and she has a low hurdles mark as well.” 

Fourteenth time lucky

Status Green (9/1) got off the mark on his fourteenth start when landing the Junction Handicap under Gary Carroll. 

The grey son of Le Havre led a furlong out and beat market leader Venetian by two and three-quarter lengths. 

Joe Murphy, who trains the winner for the West Awake Five Partnership, said: “Gary said he hit the front too soon and nearly ‘parked’, but he likes a gallop and stays.”