Havana Grey enters Nunthorpe reckoning as British raiders continue to dominate both in Ireland and France
Karl Burke and John Quinn bring a pair of Group 2's back from Ireland and France
FOLLOWING a smash and grab at the Curragh on Saturday, the Brits continued the winning feeling through to Sunday.
Havana Grey tasted success in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes and John Quinn landed another big win with Signora Cabello in France.
The doubts had started to sink in whether Havana Grey had trained on from his impressive juvenile campaign.
But Karl Burke's colt dispelled the murmurs with a dominant win at the Curragh, keeping fellow Brits Caspian Prince and Mab's Cross at bay.
Caspian Prince had the field strung out early on as per usual, but PJ McDonald tread his own path on the grey up the far side and took control of the race two furlongs out.
McDonald kept the three-year-old up to work approaching the line but was never in danger.
After two quiet runs so far this season, Havana Grey was supported in the market and went off at 10-1 and is now the same price for the Group 1 Nunthorpe at York.
His jockey said afterwards: "It wasn't really a surprise because we always knew the ability was there.
"For some reason or another, he just wasn't firing early on in the year. We knew it was a tough task taking on older sprinters and his first couple of runs were always going to be difficult.
"Fair play to Karl, he didn't panic and let him come good. I haven't seen this horse since the last day I rode him and Lucy (Burke) has been riding him every day for the last two months, so fair play to her.
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"They've got him back and, fingers crossed, now we can have a good end to the season.
"I was always happy to stay away from him (Caspian Prince) as I didn't want to get into a duel early on. My horse can make all so I'm not afraid to race on my own with him.
"Me and Karl decided we would stay over that side and if he was on song, he'd be there with a chance and if he wasn't, it didn't really matter where he ended up.
"It was a great training performance to get him back today and, fingers crossed, he can keep progressing and he should be a decent sprinter by the end of the year."
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The Brits shone in France too, with Queen Mary winner Signora Cabello producing a brave run under Frankie Dettori to take the feature Group 2 Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte.
The filly skipped the Super Sprint at Newbury in favour of France and the decision paid off.
She managed to hold off a late surge from the unbeaten home runner Sexy Metro.
Robert Cowell's Pocket Dynamo took the five-strong field along with Signora Cabello (6-4 favourite) close up and the other three horses tightly-grouped.
Signora Cabello hit the front in the final furlong and kept on gamely to hold Sexy Metro by a neck. True Mason, trained by Karl Burke, was three-quarters of a length away in third with Pocket Dynamo fourth.
Trainer John Quinn said: "It was a very gutsy performance. She beat the colts, she fended them off and was going away at the line. We are absolutely thrilled.
"It's four years since we had The Wow Signal, so it's nice to have another champion."
The Prix Morny, which The Wow Signal won in 2014, could be next for Signora Cabello followed by the Cheveley Park Stakes.
"If she's as right as she was today, I think I'd bring her back for the Morny in a month and then obviously the Cheveley Park is right on our agenda," said the North Yorkshire trainer.
"We'll see from there, but they are our two next big targets."
Magical bounced back to form with a powerful front-running display in the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes.
The three-year-old had been well held on her comeback run on heavy ground, but got her season back on track at the Curragh.
Ryan Moore made his intentions clear from the start by taking Magical to the front from the outset and the 5-4 favourite found extra when tackled by the four-year-old I'm So Fancy in the final furlong to score by two and three-quarter lengths.
The winner's stable companion Broadway was two lengths away in third while September finished last on her seasonal debut for the team after being slowly away and looked after.
Speaking after a quiet weekend, Aidan O'Brien said: "It was nice to get one for the weekend.
"We had her ready to run in the Oaks (at Epsom), it was the plan to run her, but she just knocked the inside of her joint and then it just took a long time for the swelling to go down and the soreness to go out, so she got held up.
"We had her in the Oaks yesterday, but we were afraid to run her as we were afraid she wasn't fit enough.
"This was a nice start back for her and hopefully she's OK. She was leaning left a little bit all the way in the straight. Hopefully she'll be OK after it.
"She's a lovely filly - how far she'll stay, I'm not sure. We'll see how she is but we could have a look at the Yorkshire Oaks with her.
"Talking to Ryan there, he thought she maybe wasn't ready to step up to a mile and a half yet.
"The whole rest of the season is in front of her if she's OK."