Benkei threatened from early in his career, to be a multiple winner, and Harry Rogers has brought that potential out in the well-bred son of Galileo, as he made it three wins in four starts in the It Pays To Bet With Tote Handicap at Bellewstown.

Strong through the day but easier on track out to 15/8, the Pat Smullen-ridden favourite stayed on too strongly in the final furlong to defeat Sweet Cherry by two and three parts of a length.

Rogers said: "It's great to have Smullen on your side, and he knows him inside out. I thought he was in trouble a furlong out but he picked up again.

"He might just scrape into the mile six handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend and, if the ground is not too bad, he'll run in the Cesarewitch."

(AM & EM)