Casual conquest for Smullen

Pat Smullen, fresh from riding his first Breeders’ Cup winner on Saturday night, scored a valuable victory in his quest to become champion jockey as Casual made a pleasing debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Smullen won the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita aboard Ralph Beckett’s Muhannak and carried on where he left off back in Ireland.

The Dermot Weld-trained Casual (5-1) showed a smart turn of foot a furlong out to beat Daly by a length and three-quarters.

William Hill were subsequently impressed enough to give the Prince Khalid Abdullah-owned filly a 33-1 quote for next year’s 1000 Guineas and a 25-1 quote for the Oaks.

The John Oxx duo of Rayeni and Vitruvian Man fought out the finish to the Group Three Killavullan Stakes - but it was the former who ran out an easy winner.

Stable jockey Mick Kinane picked Vitruvian Man, who was sent of the 11-10 favourite.

But he had no answers to his stable companion, a 7-2 shot, who streaked a length and a half clear at the line.

Fran Berry was the lucky man to benefit from Kinane’s misfortune, with the winner handed a 25-1 quote for the 2000 Guineas by William Hill.

VC Bet were more impressed and offer only 20s.

Oxx said of the winner: “He's a very nice horse, he's very quiet at home and has never put a foot wrong.

“We didn’t expect him to win first time out at Naas and he’s improving all the time.

“He must have that ground though.”

Of Vitruvian Man, he added: “We were drawn in stall one and on account of that, we decided to make the running with him.

“But he didn’t like being in front and we’ll ride him from behind in future.

“Both are finished for the season now.”