'It's great to get him back on track after Ascot' - the beat goes on as Jessica Harrington sprinter bounces back
![Givemethebeatboys and Shane Foley (left) winning the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2F3bf6bb26dfef-12213960.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
It is almost a cause for celebration when one of the home brigade manages to win a Listed or Group sprint in Ireland and there were plenty of happy owners present to welcome in Givemethebeatboys after he held off a strong British challenge in the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes.
The son of Bungle Inthejungle had not been seen since finishing a disappointing last of 14 in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, but this was far more like it in the FBD Hotels-sponsored contest as he showed a real stomach for the battle to come back and see off the James Fanshawe-trained favourite Kind Of Blue by a head after being headed inside the last furlong.
Trainer Jessica Harrington's daughter and assistant Kate said: "It's great to get him back on track after Ascot and it's great for the part-owners Bronsan Racing, who lost a family member in a farming accident during the week so it's a real pick-me-up.
"His bloods were all over the place after Ascot and we discovered an abscess under his lip the size of a golf ball. It burst and drained, but then filled up again three weeks ago and he had to undergo an operation to get that removed.
"Shane [Foley] said that he took a little blow inside the last and he'll improve plenty for that, so it's all systems go now for the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock next month."
Snow to keep Donnacha warm for the winter
![Donnacha O'Brien and Gavin Ryan look on at Falling Snow after victory at the Curragh](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2F7df0874eefd1-curragh-4.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
There was always a chance the first three races on the card might feature some exciting juvenile talent and one to certainly leave an impression in the fillies' conditions contest was the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Falling Snow.
A comfortable winner of a barrier trial at Dundalk in July, the daughter of Justify and multiple Group 1 winner Winter, every bit as grey as her mother, looked a filly of some quality when scoring under Gavin Ryan.
Falling Snow and the once-raced favourite Ballet Slippers quickened well clear of their rivals inside the last furlong, with the winner wearing down her main rival close home to win by a neck with a little in hand, with the remainder five lengths or further behind.
O'Brien said: "We thought she was nice. She was impressive in her barrier trial, although it was run in a slow time and I would say those behind her were moderate. So we thought we'd throw her in at the deep end here a little bit against one of Dad's [Ballet Slippers] who they thought was good. She did it nicely and she's obviously pretty smart.
"She did everything right. She jumped and travelled, stuck at it well and she pricked her ears at the line. She's big and rangy and is probably not going to really be a filly until next year. I had it in my mind we would give her two runs this year.
"We can have a look at running her now over a mile in a Group race. There is one here in about three weeks and another in about six weeks. If she did something very impressive, we might be tempted by something like the Fillies' Mile, but I would like to stick to that plan."
Paddy Power cut Falling Snow to 20-1 (from 33) for the 1,000 Guineas and to 25-1 (from 33) for the Oaks.
Read more:
Unbeaten Babouche betters Ballydoyle hotpot Whistlejacket in exciting Phoenix Stakes clash
Hayley Turner caps memorable 24 hours with victory aboard Mount Atlas
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