Review curragh 24th Jun

< Famous Name has been a real money-spinner for the Dermot Weld yard and he hoovered up a seventh Group Three contest in the Irish Daily Mail International Stakes at the Curragh.

With Elusive Pimpernel an absentee due to the softened ground, Jan Vermeer was expected to prove the trickiest proposition for the 4-5 favourite, but in fact the victory was an easy one.

Pat Smullen sat in third as Last Crusade led the way to Jan Vermeer, and when he pressed the button Famous Name streaked past the two Aidan O'Brien colts to score by six lengths. Jan Vermeer took second.

There was plenty of confidence behind John Oxx's newcomer Sharestan in the Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital Maiden and it was justified as the 11-10 favourite won very well.< Opa Loca was travelling nicely when she took it up a furlong out, but Johnny Murtagh got Sharestan into a smooth rhythm and he swept past on the outside to score by a length and three-quarters.

Oxx quickly doubled up when Sceal Nua making her debut for the yard after switching from Richard Hannon's team, took the Today FM Handicap under Niall McCullagh.< Printmaker led for most of the way but could not shake off Sceal Nua (9-1), who sat in second before grabbing the lead half a furlong out and holding Negotiate by a length and a quarter.

Ben Curtis is having a fine season and he added another to his tally when the Andrew Oliver-trained Sportsmaster took the the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Derby.

The three-year-old (4-1) picked up on to the heels of Teajaybe easily enough in the straight, but then had to dig deep to overhaul the leader before going on to win by two lengths.

The gaps came just in time for David Nagle's Maarek in the N Conlon & Sons BMW & Peugeot Handicap and the 11-2 favourite pounced on Fiddle Player close home to win by half a length under Wayne Lordan.