Ballydoyle Honey’s domination of the bitches’ division continued on Saturday night as Alison Coxon’s remarkable racer broke 28.00 for the second time, when running away with her quarter-final heat of the Sporting Press Irish Oaks at Shelbourne Park.

Two finals and the first round of the Barry’s Tea Open 750 dominated proceedings on Saturday’s card at Curraheen, and the Brendan Maunsell-trained Fire Height Amy signalled her classic intentions with a best-of-the-round performance in the last of the six-bend heats. 

Darragh Morrissey, Paul Hennessy and Graham Holland all recorded doubles in the first round of the 2014 Connolly’s Red Mills Irish Laurels on Saturday night at Curraheen Park, but it was the John Kavanagh-trained Vimmerby who set the bar highest with his terrific display in the second of the 13 heats.