Robbed of a winning opportunity when badly hampered early inside the final furlong in the Investec Oaks at Epsom earlier in the month, DIAMONDSANDRUBIES (IRE) was the big winner at the Curragh on Sunday. The daughter of Fastnet Rock held off the late charge of the Qipco 1,000 Guineas winner and Epsom Oaks runner-up Legatissimo (IRE) to win the Group 1 Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes, her third and most important success to date. Bred by Premier Bloodstock, Diamondsandrubies (IRE) had earlier won the Listed Cheshire Oaks at Chester by all of six lengths and she won her maiden at Tipperary on her seasonal bow in May. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Diamondsandrubies (IRE) is owned by Mrs Roisin Henry and Mrs Sue Magnier. She is a half-sister to the Group 1-placed You’ll Be Mine (IRE) and the Group 3-placed Born To Be King (IRE). They are out of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner and Irish Champion Two-Year-Old Quarter Moon (IRE), who was also runner-up in three Classics and is a full-sister to the Group 1 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Yesterday (IRE).

A superb weekend for Coolmore’s freshman sire Canford Cliffs (IRE) continued at the Curragh on Sunday when MOST BEAUTIFUL landed the Group 3 Grangecon Stud Stakes for trainer David Wachman and Ryan Moore. Canford Cliffs (IRE) sired his first Group winner with Saturday’s impressive Group 2 Railway Stakes victor Painted Cliffs (IRE) and Most Beautiful (IRE) added to that with her success over Only Mine (IRE) and Miss Elizabeth (IRE). She had previously won at Tipperary where she had beaten the subsequent Group 2 Norfolk Stakes winner Waterloo Bridge (IRE). The winning trainer said, “She’s always worked like a good filly. She is big and still a bit weak – you could see that in the last furlong. She has a nice future. She’s well entered up and will go further. The one thing is she likes goodish ground.” Most Beautiful (IRE) is the second foal out of the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes winner Saphira’s Fire (IRE) who was also placed twice in the Group 2 Pride Stakes which is now run as the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. The winner’s grandam, All Our Hope was second in the Sun Chariot Stakes, while the third dam, Knoosh won three Listed races and was fourth in the 1989 Group 1 Epsom Oaks.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained BONDI BEACH (IRE) upset his better fancied stable companion Order Of St George (IRE) to win the Group 3 At The Races Cup at the Curragh on Sunday. Both sons of Galileo (IRE), there was only a short-head between the pair with victory going to Bondi Beach (IRE) who was having only his third start. O’Brien commented afterwards, “They look two proper St Leger horses and have pulled right away as well. The mile and six furlongs helped Bondi Beach (IRE) and Seamie Heffernan gave him a great ride. Order Of St George (IRE) was entitled to get tired. He was ready in the spring and then got a temperature. He could go for something like the Great Voltigeur at York, while the winner may not need another run.” Bondi Beach was unraced at two and won at the first time of asking over 12 furlongs at Leopardstown last month. He was then runner-up when narrowly denied in the Listed King George V Cup over the same course and distance next time. He is a full-brother to last season’s dual winning three-year-old Bazaar (IRE), out of the Danehill mare One Moment In Time (IRE), an unraced sister to the dual Group 1 winner Simply Perfect.

The Tote Rockingham Handicap supplied British-trained runners with at 1-2-3 at the Curragh on Sunday. Victory went to the Goresbridge Sales graduate FOXY FOREVER (IRE) who proved two and a quarter lengths too good for Discussiontofollow (IRE) and Desert Law (IRE). The winner was bred by Tally-Ho Stud and was winning for the fourth time. A son of Tally-Ho’s Kodiac, Foxy Forever (IRE) was sold at the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale in 2012 for €11,000 and his latest victory brought his earnings to almost €90,000.