Richard Hannon saddled the winner of the £200,000 Tattersalls Breeders Stakes for a remarkable fifth time in a row at the Curragh this afternoon when 5-1 favourite Blue Goddess triumphed in the hands of David Harrison.
The jockey, who initiated trainer Hannon`s unprecedented five-timer in the race aboard Miss Stamper in 1996, always had Blue Goddess poised to strike in the 24-runner event.
'Going down to the start I thought the best ground was towards the middle of the track and I tried to stay there although I was getting a lead up the far rails,' he said.
'She picked up well and I think the ease in the ground was a big help because she is not the best of movers,' reported Harrison.
Welsh owner David Mork and his wife Dorothy, who are also involved in the syndicate which owns champion filly Petrushka, were on hand to see Blue Goddess extend her unbeaten run to three races and capture a winner`s prize of IR£98,000 for a huge profit on the 15,000 guineas which she cost at the yearling sales last autumn.
'She is tiny, but I love her. She doesn`t show much at home but does it on the track where it matters,' said the trainer`s son Richard jnr.
'It`s been a great race for us!'
Sweet Dilemma, from the local stable of Kevin Prendergast, emerged from the pack to briefly threaten Blue Goddess but the winner ran on strongly for a two-length verdict.
It was a rewarding meeting for English stables as Mick Channon`s Lady Lahar was also a winner of the Group Three King of Kings Futurity Stakes.
Bonnard was the 6-4 favourite to improve on his Goodwood second to No Excuse Needed at a similar level earlier in the month, but things did not go according to plan for champion Irish trainer Aiden O`Brien.
Paul Scallan on the intended pacemaker Cashel Palace put out his shoulder in the early stages of the race as Mark Johnston`s Down To The Woods set off in front, tracked by the favourite`s stablemate Beckett.
The picture changed dramatically into the closing stages as Beckett briefly took over from Down To The Woods with Bonnard making ground and Johnny Murtagh producing Lady Lahar with a storming run on the outer.
'The seven furlongs and cut in the ground were a help to Lady Lahar and she came home very well. John has now won three Group races for us this season here,' said Channon`s Irish-born assistant Mark Wallace.
The judge had to consult a print before deciding that Bonnard had got the better of stablemate Beckett by a whisker for the runner-up berth, half-a-length adrift of Lady Lahar.
Katykha came up trumps for favourite-backers in the Listed Ballycullen Stakes over a mile and six furlongs to complete her hat-trick for John Oxx and make it a treble on the day for stable-jockey Murtagh, who was also aboard the successful Burma Tiger in the opening Blue Cross Maiden.
