Tiddliwinks travelled like a dream throughout the Group 3 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes but he ultimately couldn't cope with his fellow British raider, the Fran Berry-ridden Hitchens at the Curragh.

Tiddliwinks sat on the tail of the pacemaking Sing Softly he took over under Pat Smullen at the furlong pole, but the David Barron-trained Hitchens found plenty when pulled out in the clear and asked for his effort, getting on top inside the distance to win by a length and a quarter. David Marnane's Santo Padre finished third to complete a 1,2,3 for the older horses.

Berry said: "The owners were adamant that I sit and suffer - to get a lead as he doesn't do much in front. Travelling in behind with cover was a help into that wind. I had to wait for a gap but he picked up better than Pat's horse (Tiddliwinks) in the end."

Winning owners Laurence O'Kane and Paul Murphy were present and the Northern Irish pair gave credit to absent successful trainer David Barron, saying: "He's an honest man and he knows a good sprinter when he sees one.

"He cost us 40,000 and Fran says on this kind of ground he could do well in Group 2 or even Group 1 company."