34 winners for Iffraaj

Joe Eile’s maiden victory at Dundalk on Friday helped push Iffraaj one step closer to the European record for the number of first-crop winners. Now on 34, he has equalled last year's tally for leading freshman sire Dubawi and is just one away from the record set by Invincible Spirit in 2006.

Joe Eile, who was placed on his first three starts and beaten only a head on debut, came good on the all-weather to record a battling victory. The first foal of the young Royal Applause mare Encouragement, he was bred in Ireland by Gus Roche.

Iffraaj’s other first crop winners include the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Wootton Bassett, who has amassed £524,445 in prize-money during his unbeaten campaign, recent French Group Three-winning filly Espirita and the Group-placed Musharakaat and Stay Alive.

On Derby day at Flemington, three-year-old Exceed And Excel filly Curtana took second in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and Shamardal, sire of last weekend’s G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Casamento and Monday’s highly-regarded Group Three winner Dubai Prince, recorded yet another black-type performer when Goldstone was runner-up in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes.