Carla Bianca is driven out by Pat Smullen© Photo Healy Racing
< Carla Bianca had to fight hard but was ultimately too strong as she landed the feature race of the night at Leopardstown, the Group 3 Meld Stakes.
Pat Smullen was allowed his own way out in front on the 6-4 market leader and was travelling much the best as they turned for home.
However, Elleval threw down a persistent challenge from the furlong marker and Dermot Weld's filly had to show plenty of heart to prevail by three quarters of length, making a welcome return to winning ways in the process having bumped into the promising Words last time out.
Listed honours were up for grabs in the Challenge Stakes but Fields Of Athenry ran his rivals ragged on the way to a most impressive ten length win.
The 7-4 joint-favourite was given a positive ride by Seamie Heffernan and had his five rivals in trouble a long way out, galloping clear in the manner of a classy stayer, and it will be interesting to see where Aidan O'Brien points this Galileo colt next.< Al Qahwa (15-8 fav) failed to justify strong market support on his debut at Naas but made amends in fine style when opening his account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, quickening up smartly to record a three and three quarter length success.< Miss Gossip is another two-year-old who could have a bright future having seen off hot favourite Hazamar by half a length in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The 4-1 winner was quickly sent into the lead and always appeared to have matters in hand thereafter, staying on really well inside the final furlong.
Hot favourite Griko was thwarted in the third and final maiden of the evening, the Racecourse Of The Year Maiden, as he found Cognitive Ease (3-1) half a length too good while My Twinkle came from a long way back to run out a one length winner of 'The High Kings' Apprentice Handicap.
