Review curragh 17th Jul

Class came to the fore in the Kilboy Estate Stakes as Bocca Baciata (4-1) claimed the Group Two honours at the Curragh.

Jessie Harrington's admirable filly got closest to Minding in the Pretty Polly and had two more three-year-olds in Hawksmoor and Earring to wear down in the final furlong here.

She knuckled down fantastically and got her head in front in the final 100 yards to deny Earring by half a length.< Gordon Lord Byron repeated his victory of 12 months ago in the Friarstown Stud Minstrel Stakes.

Tom Hogan's grand campaigner was awarded the Group Two on the disqualification of Home Of The Brave last year and after tracking leader Toscanini and taking up the running halfway down the straight, the 16-1 chance showed his trademark courage to pass the post half a length ahead of Sovereign Debt < Rose De Pierre looked the proverbial Group horse in a handicap when making it two wins from as many starts in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap For The Defence Forces Trophy.

Dermot Weld's well-backed 5-4 favourite displayed a taking turn of foot when asked to go and win her race by Pat Smullen and strode a couple of lengths clear of Diamond Rio < Velveteen (9-2) didn't have a lot of luck when favourite on her racecourse introduction but was bounced straight into the lead in the Qipco European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden by Colin Keane and showed a willing attitude to keep Hunaina half a length at bay.< Asbury Boss ran out a determined winner of the Download The Ladbrokes App Handicap.

The pacesetting 4-1 shot looked a sitting duck when Kalann loomed up travelling strongly but he found less than expected, whereas Asbury Boss kept finding and scored by a length and a quarter.

Ryan Moore has to manoeuvre Istan around a bit but eventually got the 15-8 favourite home in the Gabriel Curran Memorial Nursery Handicap, while Lina De Vega (16-1) made a successful debut in the Chapman's Mitsubishi Kildare Fillies Maiden.