The Mick Channon-trained Dream Rose was up with the pace in the early stages along with Sandie and Free Roses, but faded quickly when the pressure was turned on.

Sandie, the 2-1 favourite, took a clear lead going into the final two furlongs, but Johnny Murtagh brought the eventual winner through to challenge and got the better of a ding-dong struggle.

Sahara Princess wore down her rival to win the seven-furlong contest by three-quarters of a length, with Ugo Fire third.

Murtagh told At The Races: “She stayed on to the line nicely. She has a good cruising gear and she could make up into a nice filly, with more to come next year.

“She got to the front and started looking round a bit. It was harder than it should have been for her, but she will have learned a lot.

“I think she’ll improve again from today.”

The Aidan O’Brien-trained newcomer Alexandrova missed the kick and was last for a long way before running on nicely into mid-division towards the finish.

Cashmans gave Horatio Nelsona 33-1 quote for next season’s 2000 Guineas after the two-year-old’s debut victory earlier on the card.

O’Brien’s son of Danehill is out of the Irish 1000 Guineas and Vodafone Oaks winner Imagine.

Quickly into the lead under Kieren Fallon in the seven-furlong Blue Square Casino EBF Maiden, Horatio Nelson (2-1 favourite) ran on really well to beat Heliostatic by a length.

John Oxx’s Virginia Woolf, sent off the 4-5 favourite, led all the way and proved too strong for her rivals in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Derby.

Tackled by Down Mexico Way and Premier Dane in the straight, Virginia Woolf was kept up to her work by Jamie Moriarty and won by a length and a half.