Vinnie Roe, one of the most popular flat horses trained in Ireland in recent years, has like the weekend's majestic filly Attraction been rewriting the country's Classic record books.

When he won last year's Irish St Leger he was surpassing previous dual winners Vintage Crop, Oscar Schindler and Kayf Tara by posting a third successive victory.

Those he accounted for then included Powerscourt who himself made a winning start to his campaign at The Curragh on Sunday.

Now it is the turn of Vinnie Roe to start off his season's activity in the Saval Beg Stakes, a race that he won in 2002 but missed out on last year.

Anyone who imagines that horses that win these long distance races on the flat are necessarily short on speed have forgotten truly great horses of the calibre of Levmoss who won the French Gold Cup and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

While Vinnie Roe himself was beaten in last year's Arc his performance on figures in finishing fifth to Dalakhani was close to his best ever rating.

John Oxx has exploited many a potentially good handicapper by getting a mark through winning a Wexford maiden.

He must be of the opinion that the Aga Khan's recent Wexford winner Darabanka is better than just a handicapper having opted for this Listed Race for her second start.

Her win has already been advertised by the success of Russian Tsar whom she defeated by one and a half lengths.

Getting more than two stone she could take the second spot.

Vinnie Roe could be the filling in a sandwich of Dermot Weld success started by Hard Warrior and topped off by King Jock.

Aidan O'Brien is getting together the makings of a good Royal Ascot team of two-year-olds and Showdance may add his name to the list by winning the Irish Stallions Farms EBF Maiden on his debut.

He is by Kingmambo, the best of whose progeny in 2003 world-wide was Russian Rhythm.

Her hat-trick of Group One wins in the 1,000 Guineas, Coronation, and Nassau Stakes had not been matched since the victories of Happy Laughter, a Royal Charger filly bred at the Ballykisteen Stud in Co Tipperary in 1950.