Top 40 winner King of Earth @ 4/1

Once again, Aidan O'Brien grabbed the headlines the Curragh with Benvenuto Cellini bouncing back to form following his below par effort at Epsom and providing his trainer with eighteenth victory in the Irish Derby. However, the most pleasing result of the day was Top 40 entry King of Earth's win in the nine furlongs premier handicap later on the card. The Kingman colt had run well in defeat at Doncaster and Newbury during the spring before gaining a hard fought success at Wolverhampton earlier this month. Stepping up in trip and fitted with cheekpieces for the first time on his handicap debut off a mark of 85, Tom Marquand's mount hit the front over a furlong out before battling on gamely to prevail by a neck. William Haggas' charge is improving with each run and is capable of winning another valuable handicap in the coming weeks and months - perhaps he will emerge as a contender for something like the Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket in late September.