Botany Bay (left) is driven out by Niall McCullagh to beat Fields Of Athenry © Photo Healy Racing
< Botany Bay opened his account in fine style by landing the Magners Ulster Derby at Down Royal.
Charles O'Brien's 7-1 chance was tackling 12 furlongs for the first time and was held up in midfield by Niall McCullagh.
Favourite Fields Of Athenry went for home fully three furlongs out, but McCullagh got Botany Bay on terms close home and he ran on well to score by a length.
Chris Hayes bagged the second leg of a treble when guiding Witty Repartee to a convincing win in the European Breeders Fund Coolmore Stud Ulster Oaks Fillies Handicap.
Andrew Oliver's 5-1 chance was the only one not troubled by Plus Ca Change s strong early pace, and after taking up the running on the turn for home, she stretched clear to win by three and a half lengths from Princess Aloof
Hayes earlier plotted a path from the outside stall to land the Value Cars Handicap aboard Cheers Buddy
Hayes tacked across towards the rear of the field, and Lee Smyth's 7-1 chance picked up really well in the straight to beat Ask Dad by three and a quarter lengths.
Hayes' third win came courtesy of Mufraq in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, the Kevin Prendergast-trained 6-4 favourite seeing out the trip well to repel Van Schack by three-quarters of a length.< Independence Day put in a tremendous effort from the front to land the Rainbow Communications Maiden.
David Wachman's 4-5 favourite had run well in a hot Curragh maiden on his debut and after breaking smartly under Billy Lee, he pulled clear in the home straight to beat Reckless Endeavour by five lengths.< Calm Bay (8-1) just edged out Shipyard in a thrilling finish to the Louis Roederer Handicap for trainer Harry Rogers and jockey Gary Halpin, while Jessie Harrington's Lake Champlain (/1) ran on well to land the Albany Handicap under Fran Berry.
