Flood makes big splash with Spartacus

Second-season trainer David Flood gained an unexpected first Group-race success as he returned to his native Ireland to take the Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes with 8-1 chance Im Spartacus.

In the run-up to today’s Group Three contest at the Curragh, all the talk was of 8-11 favourite Scorpion and whether Aidan O’Brien’s colt could enter the reckoning for the Vodafone Derby in less than a fortnight’s time by maintaining his unbeaten sequence.