Jim Bolger's Rose Petal completed a hat-trick of wins in just over two weeks last evening when scooping the featured Guinness Ulster Oaks Fillies Handicap at Down Royal. Market rival Absoluta, from the in-form John Oxx yard, held the call until Kevin Manning coaxed the 11 to 8 favourite to lead inside the two-furlong marker before drawing away to beat New Legislation by two and a half lengths.

Adrian Taylor, assistant trainer to the Coolcullen handler, said: "She's progressing very, very well and I'd say the boss will step her up to listed company. I'd say she'll stay a mile and a half."

Oxx and John Murtagh had better luck later in the evening when Buddy And Soda, carrying the colours of Basil Brindley, got the better of odds-on chance Hawksbury in the Smithwicks Maiden. "She didn't stay seven furlongs early on but with racing she seems to be seeing it out now. She'll go for a seven-furlong handicap next," said the Curragh trainer. Simple Dolly recorded her fourth successive victory under a confident David Bean. "The jockey nearly gave me a heart attack," said the winning handler Gerard Keane after Bean, despite a slight error at the last, got the 4 to 9 hotpot up in the dying stride to pip Gold Depositor and Shane McGovern.