CLONGOWES (IRE) ended his string of seconds on Saturday when taking the feature Ulster Derby at Down Royal worth €59,000. It was trainer Jim Bolger’s second consecutive victory in the mile and a half contest, having won last year with Stellar Mass (IRE), who went on to finish third in the Irish Derby on his next start. CLONGOWES (IRE) does, in fact, hold an entry in the Classic on July 1st, though connections made no comment on future plans after his win. Ronan Whelan partnered him on his maiden victory, which came by a length and a quarter, as Wingingit (IRE) claimed runners-up honours, with a further length and three quarters back to Tilly’s Chilli (IRE) in third.

CLONGOWES (IRE) is out of Punctilious (IRE), whom breeders Godolphin bought after finishing third in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile and she would go on to win the Ribblesdale Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks. The Danehill mare is a half-sister to multiple Group 3 winner Risk Seeker, out of Group 2 winner Robertet, from the family of Coral Eclipse victor Solford.

Another to produce a career-best performance on the card was the seven-year-old mare DRAGON FEI (IRE), who took the Ulster Oaks worth €23,600 for trainer Dermot Anthony McLoughlin and owner David Eiffe. Like Clongowes (IRE), she came into the race off a string of second, and had previous form in the race, having finished third in the 2014 running. Bolger and Whelan had to settle for runners-up honours in this mile and two contest, as Cirin Toinne (IRE) was beaten a length and a half, with a further half a length back to Tony Martin’s Dancing Doll (IRE).

Black-type is now the aim for DRAGON FEI (IRE), who was bought by Ballyhane Stud for €3,200 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. By the late Jeremy (IRE), she was bred by Little Rath Farms out of a winning half-sister to Group 1 winning sprinter G Force (IRE) and Grade 3 winner Louvain (IRE), herself the dam of dual Group 1 winner Flotilla. The family has plenty of speed, with second dam being Kings Stand Stakes second Flanders (IRE), who is a half-sister to the dam of champion sprinter Lethal Force (IRE).