Having enjoyed his best season so far in 2015, Dark Angel (IRE) is proving he's here to stay at the top of the sires table after siring an impressive Stakes treble on Saturday. MARKAZ (IRE) began proceedings with a return to form in the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle, a drop back to six furlongs providing the four-year-old entire with his second Group win and trainer Owen Burrows with his first. Donning the silks of Hamdan Al Maktoum, Paul Mulrennan rode his mount to track the leaders on the far side of the track and took the lead approaching the final furlong, driving him out to beat Pretend (IRE) by a length.

Mulrennan is familiar with the family, having ridden the winner's full-sister, Meccas Angel (IRE), to Group 1 glory in last year's Nunthorpe Stakes. The Yeomanstown Stud-bred pair are the first two foals out of the Listed-placed mare Folga, who is a half-sister to Listed winner Desert Kaya, while the second dam was a winner at Group 3 and Listed level.

Less than an hour later, the Richard Hannon-trained NATIONS ALEXANDER (IRE) enjoyed the testing conditions at Newmarket to take the Listed Empress Stakes over six furlongs. Second on her previous two starts, the two-year-old filly was the only maiden in the seven-runner field but showed a tough attitude, quickening well inside the final furlong to win by a length and a quarter. Owned by Noel O'Callaghan, she was bred by Oakhill Stud out of their Goffs November Sale buy Party Whip (IRE), who is a half-sister to Richmond Stakes victor and twice Group 1-placed Always Hopeful. Further down the page, their family includes the likes of Irish Oaks heroine Possessive Dancer, Weld Park Stakes winner Rag Top (IRE) and Norfolk Stakes winner Colmore Row.

Completing the Dark Angel (IRE) Stakes treble was the Marwan Koukash-owned and Richard Fahey-trained GABRIAL (IRE), with the seven-year-old returning to winning ways in the Listed Midsummer Stakes at Windsor. A Listed winner at three, he has been highly-tried since winning the valuable Betway Lincoln last year, with a consistent campaign including two Group 1 placings. Ridden by David Nolan, he settled in midfield before making his move over a furlong from home, making good headway to lead inside the final furlong and held off dual Group winner Captain Cat (IRE) to win by half a length.

Now with eight wins and eighteen placings, GABRIAL (IRE) has amassed earnings of over €770,000 during his career. Bred by Brian Kennedy, he is the best performer out of the mare Guajira, who has produced four winners for far, including recent debutante Blind Faith (IRE), a daughter of Zoffany (IRE). Guajira is a winning half-sister to dual Graded winner Jaunatxo, Grade 2 winner and sire Iron Deputy and to the dam of Group 1 winner Shamalgan.

The weekend ended with 14 individual Group winners and 16 individual Listed winners for Dark Angel (IRE), whose fee rose to €60,000 at Yeomanstown Stud this season