So You Think is just champion

So YOU Think preserved his huge reputation with a brave victory in the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday evening.

The strapping Australian import has made a dramatic impression since joining Aidan O’Brien, for whom he has now won three Group Ones, including the Coral-Eclipse and the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Sent on his way the 1-4 favourite under Seamie Heffernan, the five-year-old had to work very hard to fend off the sustained challenge of the Ed Dunlop-trained Snow Fairy.

O’Brien exclaimed: “He is an incredible specimen of a thoroughbred.”

John Magnier, of the Coolmore triumvirate, added: “He’s the kind of a horse who we are spoilt for choice with options. He could run in the mile race at Ascot [Queen Elizabeth II Stakes], the mile-and-a-quarter race [Qipco Champion Stakes, Ascot], or he could run in the Arc.”

Emulous took within her stride the step up to Group One company with a superb performance in the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes. It was a third successive victory for the 9-2 shot following a pair of Group Three triumphs at the Curragh and Fairyhouse.

Trainer Dermot Weld said: “We’ll probably look at the Sun Chariot at Newmarket for her.”

Dream Ahead, meanwhile, proved his disappointing trip to France was no more than a blip as he came out on top in a thrilling three-way finish to the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The July Cup hero travelled with panache throughout under William Buick and just managed to get the better of Bated Breath and Hoof It by a nose and a head respectively, despite hanging in the last of the six furlongs. The stewards held an inquiry into possible interference between the first and third but the placings remained unaltered.

Brian Meehan welcomed the idea of Shumoos following the shining example of Hooray a year ago after she claimed a narrow success in the Betfred Bonus King Sirenia Stakes at Kempton.

Sir Mark Prescott gave the Group Three race a much-needed boost when he used it as a stopping-off point for Hooray before she graduated to higher honours in the Cheveley Park Stakes. Shumoos is now poised to chart a similar route for the Meehan camp.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Modun (2-1) was also highly effective when dipping his toe into Pattern company for the first time in the Betfred September Stakes.

Indian Days came from last to first to take consecutive renewals of the International Bosphorus Cup at Veliefendi in Turkey yesterday.

The James Given-trained six-year-old was given a textbook hold-up ride by Alan Munro to deny Godolphin’s Campanologist, ridden by Frankie Dettori, by the narrowest of margins.