Aidan O'Brien kept his stranglehold on the Camas Park & Ashtown House Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh when 5-4 favourite Alfred Nobel captured the Group One prize.
Johnny Murtagh rode a confident race on the son of Danehill Dancer, who was last for most of the way and was not asked to quicken up in the testing conditions until a furlong and a half out.
Stable companion Air Chief Marshal had the rest of his rivals in trouble at that stage, but Alfred Nobel cut him down to win readily by half a length, taking the prize back to Ballydoyle for the 10th time in 12 runnings.< Walk On Bye was in rear for most of the way and could not get to grips with the first two, finishing a further two and a half lengths away in third.
Pat Shanahan was the man to follow on the rest of the card as he booted home a treble, two of them for Tracey Collins.
Speedy juvenile Arctic could hardly have been more impressive as he ran right away with the Listed Grangecon Stud Stakes to keep his unbeaten record.
Shanahan soon had the grey at the head of affairs and though Sole Power tried to stay with him when he kicked for home in the final two furlongs, there was no holding the 11-4 shot, who won by five lengths despite being eased down.< Girouette (7-2) completed a Listed-race double for the stable when storming home in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sweet Mimosa Stakes.
Always close up, the four-year-old was sent into the lead at the two pole and soon had the race in the bag, keeping on well to beat Perfect Polly by a length and three-quarters.
Shanahan initiated the treble when Tovaria (8-1) snatched the Save 20% Booking On www.curragh.ie Handicap in the final 100 yards for the Eddie Harty team.< Silver Tide set a steady pace and looked to have her rivals in trouble when she quickened up, but she faltered and Tovaria was driven past to score by a length and three-quarters from the staying-on Munnings < Invincible Force showed his liking for the Curragh with a third track success in the Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital Handicap.
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