Coral Beach stuns punters in surprise Killavullan win

CORAL BEACH sprang a 16-1 surprise to win the Killavullan Stakes for Aidan O’Brien at Leopardstown.

Michael Hussey’s mount bided her time in the seven-furlong Group Three contest, before picking up much better-fancied stablemate Old Glory and running out a one-length winner.

O’Brien’s Old Glory, sent off at 2-1 second-favourite, broke well and set out to lead all the way under Seamie Heffernan.

He had a two-length lead into the straight but had no answer to Coral Beach’s sustained run on the rail – with Jim Bolger’s Guaranteed also staying on late to snatch second.

Favourite No Needs Never, on the back of his unexpected Listed win over Old Glory at Dundalk last time out, could never land a blow in the rematch and trailed in seventh.

Coral Beach had mustered just one maiden victory, on her penultimate start at Cork, from 11 previous attempts – and was consequently very much her powerful stable’s second string here.

Winning jockey Hussey said: ‘She has plenty of ability, but she needs things to go right – and they did today. There is improvement in her, I hope.’

Flavius was an emphatic winner of the Listed Trigo Stakes, completing a treble for jockey Declan McDonogh and trainer Dermot Weld.

The 9-4 favourite was held up early, while Success Days made the running, but moved into contention on the outside and took over with a fine turn of foot in the final furlong to win by half a length from Flight Risk.

‘He’s a lovely horse to look forward to next year at Group level,’ Weld said. ‘We’ve had a few problems getting this horse right, and he has the potential to go all the way to the top. He could be a Tattersalls Gold Cup horse. He has a lot of pace. I love this horse.’