Sharestan may have his doubters, including some bookmakers that made him a near 2/1 chance (didn't last long) last night for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship Celebration Stakes, but the four-year-old put in a thoroughly professional performance to score at the Curragh under Johnny Murtagh.

Backed into 8/13, the victorious Shamardal colt simply had too much class for his five rivals and after leading under two furlongs out he was driven out in the final furlong to beat his fellow His Highness The Aga Khan-owned Mizani

Victorious trainer John Oxx said: "He's good over a mile. He won over a mile and two here recently but he didn't really stay in the heavy ground.

"He's adaptable ground-wise and he may get a mile and a quarter on fast ground.

"On soft to heavy a mile is no worry to him and he is a horse that has the potential to step-up in grade. He has to prove that but he went some way to doing that today.

"We thought that he was a horse that could step-up into the mid-teens (in the ratings) and once you get to that level you have more options.

"The Arlington Million would be a possibility though maybe we'd be flying a bit high." (GC & EM)