Ernest Hemingway put in a tough performance to just edge out both Royal Diamond and Scintillula in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes.

Providing Aidan & Joseph O’Brien with a double on the card (took the second with Friendship , the four-year-old son of Galileo was sent off the 11/8 favourite.

Used as a pacemaker in the past, the bay colt sprang to prominence on his last start, as he stayed on strongly in the closing stages to win the Group 3 Curragh Cup, beating Royal Diamond by five lengths.

That race was over a mile and six, and dropping back to a mile and a half this evening, he was settled in rear.

He moved into a closer third at the halfway stage and he was ridden entering the straight.

Royal Diamond attempted to make all under Johnny Murtagh, but he was challenged by the winner on the outside and Scintillula in the middle a furlong from home.

Ernst Hemingway got on top 100 yards out, and he kept on best from there to score by half a length.

Royal Diamond took the runner-up spot at 9/4, Scintillula (2/1) was a further half a length back in third under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger, while St Jean finished last of the four, just three and a quarter lengths back under Chris Hayes for Kevin Prendergast.

Joseph O'Brien said afterwards: "He relaxed really well but he idled like mad going to the line.

"He is a horse that is progressing and the Irish Leger fits into his programme well."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham