Review LEOPARDSTOWN 29TH OCT

It was that man again Aidan O'Brien who dominated the featured G3 Killavullan Stakes but not with the horse the betting market suggested beforehand.

Temple Of Artemis (4/6-4/5f) was the punters choice to score for stable jockey Mick Kinane but Seamus Heffernan, deputising for the injured Colm O'Donoghue, had other ideas aboard 12/1 shot Stonemason.

Smartly away Stonemason, having his 4th run to date, made every yard a winning one in the 6-runner contest to record a bloodless 5L success with Miss Beabea a disappointing 5th.

'He is a very nice horse and had been working well. The little break probably did him good and it was fortunate for Seamus as Colm injured his hand in the stalls at Galway yesterday,' O'Brien said of the Nureyev colt Stonemason.

Earlier the Ballydoyle maestro, fresh from his Breeders Cup Juvenile success with Johannesburg, found the winners after the fillies maiden when 1st res.Pietra Dura (2/1-3/1f) forged clear to defeat Alsera (10/1-13/2) and Literary Lover, who didn't enjoy the clearest of runs.

The 1m maiden was a hectic betting heat with market principals Sorcerous (4/7-6/4-5/4f), In Time's Eye (2/1-7/2) and Millstreet (3/1-4/1-5/2) dominating but it was Aidan O'Brien's newcomer that prevailed in what could prove to be a very hot contest.

'He's a smashing horse and the plan was to give him one easy race this season,' said O'Brien, who had his post race analysis interrupted when Man Utd supremo Alex Ferguson followed by former Ballydoyle legend Vincent O'Brien rang his mobile phone.

For the second time during the session the Aidan O'Brien outsider obliged in the Listed Trigo Stakes when Ice Dancer, so often the pacemaker for Galileo, outbattled Taraza under a determined drive from Paul Scallan in a thriller.

'It's great for Paul who gave him a great ride. This horse is a smart horse in his own right and is going to be a very important horse (pacemaker) next year,' said O'Brien after his 4th winner of the afternoon which resulted in 3 winners of the Jackpot worth #7,533.60 each.

Scallan was later penalised for excessive use of his whip aboard Ice Dancer and was banned for 5 days.

For the first time at the Foxrock track punters were treated to the now customary Oliver Brady post-race ceremony after Ansari (12/1) scored in the hands of Tom Queally.

In a day of surprises Dermot Weld, fresh from his French St Leger victory with Vinnie Roe, saddled 14/1 shot Polite Reply (Eddie Ahern) to win the 7f handicap.

John Murtagh reduced the deficit to 3 behind Pat Smullen in the title race when he scored aboard Peru Genie for Michael McElhone in the opener while Creux Noir (4/5f) and Dave Philips obliged in the Beaumont Hospital Charity Race.