Patrick Sarsfield (5/2) makes it three out of three

Twenty four hours after Nazeef made it three wins from as many starts during 2020, another of the Top 40 Prospects in Ahead On The Flat, namely Patrick Sarsfield, did likewise with another impressive performance on Saturday. Joseph O'Brien's lightly raced four year old won valuable handicaps at Leopardstown and Navan off marks of 86 and 101 respectively last month. Tackling Pattern company for the first time at the former venue off an offical rating of 109, the gelded son of Australia produced an even better display to win the Group 3 Meld Stakes over nine furlongs. Racing prominently, he hit the front with less than two furlongs to run before powering clear to win decisively by a couple of lengths from Ancient Spirit. Joseph O'Brien's horse is progressing at a rate of knots and would be no surprise to see him return to the Dublin track in September for something like the Group 2 Boomerang Stakes over a mile or even the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes. He is a hugely exciting prospect who had already improved twenty three pounds this year before his latest success.

Arriviste (Handicap Snips) narrowly missed out on her seasonal reappearance/handicap debut at Salisbury on Saturday evening. Rae Guest's filly, who was racing off a mark of 79, stepped up to ten furlongs for the first time and looked set to register her second career win when hitting the front approaching the final furlong. However, the daughter of Sea The Moon had raced keenly during the first half a mile and that proved her undoing as it took its toll inside the final hundred yards. Worn down close home by the racefit Award Scheme (William Haggas' third winner of the day), she was beaten a neck with six lengths back to the third. With the freshness now out of her system, Arriviste will hopefully be hard to beat next time and is a filly to follow this summer and beyond.