Silver finally crowned

The Silver Crown finally got her turn in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Median Auction Maiden when holding off Scots Gaelic by a head at Bellewstown.

Gary Carroll rode the daughter of Verglas for the Mulvany family, Larry owns the three-year-old and his son Michael trains, and the 10/1 shot came home better than the pace-setters but just held off the runner-up.

Kells, Co. Meath-based Michael said: "She has been a bit unlucky. Pat Smullen told us after riding her the last day to step her back up in trip as she had been finding the pace over seven furlongs too much for her. She'd be better with a bit of give in the ground too."

Market-leader Slade finished third and he was later found to have a respiratory tract infection.