Rajik takes Ballycullen Stakes

Rajik stepped up markedly in class to take Listed honours in the Ballycullen Stakes at the Curragh today for Charlie Swan and Declan McDonogh.

Successful in a valuable handicap at the Galway Festival, the versatile five-year-old was sent off at 10-1 for this stiffer assignment.

McDonogh brought his mount with a strong run in the straight as the stiff early pace set by 11-8 favourite Roses For The Lady and Drumfire began to take a toll.

Rajik went away in the end to beat the staying-on Silverhand by three lengths, with Roses For The Lady third.

Swan said: “He’s just improving and improving, it’s so hard to believe he was beaten in Wexford. We were going to enter him in the Ebor only he ran so bad at Newcastle.

“He’ll either go for the Irish Cesarewitch or go back over hurdles.”