< Sharestan won in Listed company for the first time when Niall McCullagh drove him to victory in the feature Coolmore Stud China Ire.Friendship Silver Stakes at the Curragh.

Third in the Mooresbridge Stakes last time when a Ballydoyle outsider got away, John Oxx's 8-11 favourite was settled in third place in the 10-furlong contest as Defining Year took them along.

The leader attempted to stretch clear in the straight and had all his rivals in trouble bar Sharestan, who ranged alongside a furlong out and forged ahead to score by half a length.

Oxx doubled up when supposed second string Vedani another carrying the colours of the Aga Khan, led all the way and hung on to take the Kildare Village China Race Day Maiden.

Unplaced in a modest Dundalk maiden on his only previous start, the son of Dalakhani was sent off a 9-1 chance and looked sure to be swallowed up in the closing stages, but he stuck on well for Ben Curtis and won by a head.

Curtis also landed a double, running away with the Chinese Irish Cultural Academy Handicap on Tommy Carmody's top-weight Ursa Major (2-1 favourite), who looks ready for a step up in class after winning by seven lengths.

Aidan O'Brien got on the scoreboard when his Oasis Dream colt Gale Force Ten stepped forward considerably from his debut third at Dundalk last month to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Joseph O'Brien always had the juvenile up with the pace alongside favourite Leitir Mor and after a sharp tussle from the furlong pole, the 7-2 shot edged ahead to win by three-quarters of a length.

Chris Hayes challenged at the furlong pole on Alsium (7-1) in the Irish Field Maiden and Paul Deegan's three-year-old was always doing just enough to hold favourite Cape Of Approval before winning by a neck.