80-1 shot Keeper Of Time gives John Feane biggest success of his career

Keeper Of Time caused an 80-1 shock in the Group 3 Ballylinch Stud 'Priory Belle' 1,000 Guineas Trial, giving Curragh trainer John Feane the first Group winner of his career.

Under Ronan Whelan, the daughter of Mehmas picked up well and got first run on her rivals to see off strong-finishing runner-up Mehnah by a head, with the remainder a length or more further back.

The winner has no entry in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and is far from a certainty to be supplemented according to the winning trainer, who added the filly might soon be sold.

Feane said: "I would say she is a filly that would be well suited by America and the owner, John Nolan, has had offers for her before. I'm sure there will be more on the table after this and I imagine it will be hard to keep her now.

"John was adamant to come here after she ran a cracker in the Madrid Handicap at the Curragh and she toughed it out well today. She was entitled to run in the race.

"Erzindjan, who finished behind her that day, came out and won at Gowran the other day, so we decided to take a pop at today and it worked out well."

Flare burns bright

Poetic Flare won the opening two-year-old maiden of last season and created a good impression when quickening well to land the Ballylinch Stud 'Red Rocks' 2,000 Guineas Trial under Kevin Manning.

The Dawn Approach colt, who had added the Killavullan Stakes to his tally here in October, encountered good ground for the first time and drew clear inside the last to win by a length and a half from the Aussie Ace.

Poetic Flare and Kevin Manning go clear in the 2,000 Guineas TrialCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Poetic Flare was cut into 16-1 from 25-1 for the Qipco 2000 Guineas by Paddy Power but trainer Jim Bolger's daughter and assistant Una Manning said plans are fluid, as the stable also have Vertem Futurity winner Mac Swiney entered at Newmarket.

She said: "We haven't decided which Guineas he will go for but we won't be running both horses against each other.

"We're very happy with Poetic Flare, he hasn't been away at all this year and we were very confident he would handle the ground. He was not just a soft ground horse, we had to play the hand we were dealt with the ground last year."

Bolshoi dances into Derby picture

Bolshoi Ballet was cut to 8-1 from 20-1 by Paddy Power for the Cazoo Derby after putting in a taking performance to land the Group 3 PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes.

The Galileo colt seemed to enjoy his first foray on good ground under Ryan Moore, and gave every indication that stepping up to 1m4f would suit as he went away inside the final furlong to beat Flying Visit and Taipan by two and a quarter lengths.

Bolshoi Ballet and Ryan Moore clear away inside the last furlong to land the Ballysax StakesCredit: Caroline Norris

Aidan O'Brien, also responsible for current 3-1 Derby favourite High Definition, commented: "He had only been running on bad ground and he will have learned a lot from that. It was very straightforward today and looking at that you would imagine he will get 1m4f, the way he went to the line. He'll probably come back here next month for the Derrinstown Derby Trial."

Another Ballydoyle colt set for a Derby trial is Sir Lamorak, who bolted up under Moore in the 1m2f handicap.

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