A Lilac Rolla maintained her unbeaten record with a gritty display in the Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” Stakes at Leopardstown.

Paddy Twomey’s filly had won both her starts at two, and she had one piece of standout form in terms of this Group Three.

She had finished in front of Aidan O’Brien’s Opera Singer at the Curragh in August, with that filly going on to win the Prix Marcel Boussac by five lengths.

Sent off at 9-2, A Lilac Rolla’s rider Billy Lee was keen not to let Seamie Heffernan get too far clear on Kitty Rose and from a long way out the two had it between themselves.

Both of them stuck to the task gamely but it was A Lilac Rolla who just came out on top by a head, with the pair almost three lengths clear of Buttons in third.

“I think she’s a good filly and I’d hoped she would do something like that,” said Twomey.

“I haven’t run her since she won the second time last year as she just grew and I wanted to give her the time. I’m glad I did and she’s trained well all winter.

“I was looking forward to coming here today, although the heavy ground was a concern as her form was on good ground. She’s uncomplicated and she’s tough.

“She had every chance to curl up if she wanted to but she didn’t.

“We’re lucky that we have good horses and good owners. I’m very well supported and appreciative of that.”

Aidan O’Brien is sticking to his original plan with Auguste Rodin, despite his disappointing effort in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan.

Winner of both the Derby and the Irish Derby last year, the Deep Impact colt had produced lacklustre efforts in both the 2000 Guineas and King George at Ascot either side of those Classic victories.

He ended his season by winning both the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita, but never looked like getting involved on his return to action in Dubai, coming home last of 12 runners.

O’Brien felt the race did not suit and will look to get his campaign back on track in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on May 26.

“He’s well and we just put a line through the race. It was a tactical affair and we just got caught in the wrong part of it,” said O’Brien.

“The good thing about Ryan (Moore) is when things go wrong like that, he accepts it very quickly and the horse doesn’t get a hard race.

“We are looking at going to the Curragh (for the Tattersalls Gold Cup) if everything goes fine.”

Aintree is set to experience a wet start to the week as the flagship Randox Grand National meeting looms.

The three-day fixture starts on Thursday and peaks on Saturday with the National itself.

The forecast before the opening day includes plenty of rain, with the majority looking set to fall before the meeting starts.

The ground was varying between soft and heavy across the two courses at Aintree on Sunday, following an incredibly wet winter and early spring. There is clearly more to come, although it may alleviate when the gates open on Thursday for an afternoon that kicks off with four successive Grade One races.

“We’re soft, heavy in places on the Grand National course and soft on the Mildmay,” said Sulekha Varma, clerk of the course at Aintree.

“We are sunny and breezy at the moment, but we are expecting another band of rain to move in over the next few days, probably quite heavy rain at times.

“Then Thursday, Friday and Saturday are looking overcast, perhaps some showers but nothing too significant.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a shower or two through racing, but the bulk of the rain seems to be at the start of the week.”

Paddy Twomey is in an enviable position as he considers where to send Guineas hopefuls One Look and Purple Lily.

Both fillies ran twice as two-year-olds and both showed a great deal of promise when winning their respective starts in good style.

One Look, a Gleneagles bay out of a Holy Roman Emperor mare called Holy Salt, made her debut in the Goffs Million at the Curragh last September having been purchased as a yearling via the auction house for €65,000.

There she faced a field of expensive purchases but made light work of them all when powering to a six-length success over seven furlongs and pocketing just shy of 10 times her purchase price as the first place purse was €610,000.

Earmarked as a top prospect for the 2024, One Look started her campaign in a Cork auction race and maintained her reputation with an easy three-length victory there.

“That was a good starting point for her, she won the Goffs Million last year and I was keen to get another run into her,” Twomey said.

“She went there ready to run and acquitted herself well in the circumstances, on the heavy ground, she’ll go for one of the Guineas in England or Ireland.

“Over the next few days we’ll make a decision on who goes where when we’ve run most of them.”

Purple Lily, who is by Calyx, also started her career on a good note when winning a Galway maiden last August and proved she had progressed into her three-year-old season when lining up in the TRM Equine Nutrition Race at Naas in March.

There she prevailed by three lengths from the Group One-placed Portland, and like her stablemate she now holds entries for the 1000 Guineas contests at both Newmarket and the Curragh.

“Purple Lily came out of her win in Naas in great form, I’m very happy with her,” Twomey said.

“She’s trained very well since, we’re looking forward to the year ahead and we’ll decide soon which of the Guineas she’ll go for – hopefully it’ll be either the English or the Irish Guineas.

“We’re lucky to have some nice horses in and we’re just hoping they can have a good year.”

Aidan Coleman has announced his retirement from the saddle having failed to recover from a knee injury.

The 35-year-old suffered a fall at Worcester in June and has been battling to return ever since, undergoing several surgeries on his knee and a shattered tibia.

Coleman, who will possibly be best remembered for his association with the recently-retired Paisley Park, has undergone a lengthy rehabilitation process but has conceded he will not recover sufficiently to resume his riding career.

“The prognosis early was quite bleak about returning to ride,” he told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday.

“But around September when the rehab was early I was kidding myself that I could get back from this. In early December I had another operation and since that the progress has really plateaued.

“The gym is good because it’s a stable surface but I can’t run or jump. I can’t ride a horse really. A lot of people would say I couldn’t anyway so what’s the difference!

“Since Christmas, every time I’ve tried to ride a horse it’s not really gone well and I just can’t really do it and I definitely wouldn’t be able to ride in a race or anything like that.

“Speaking to Jerry Hill (the BHA’s chief medical adviser) and my surgeon, my chances of improving are negative now, so that’s it. My knee won’t stand the demands of being a jockey or get anywhere near it, so that’s it.”

Coleman enjoyed a successful association early in his career with Venetia Williams but overlooked her 100-1 Grand National winner Mon Mome in favour of stablemate Stan.

There were many good days in a stellar career, though, with Emma Lavelle’s Paisley Park winning the Long Walk Hurdle three times and the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2019.

Coleman also picked up the rides on Epatante, winning an Aintree Hurdle and two Fighting Fifths, and Jonbon, on whom he won multiple Grade Ones.

“I think the last few years I’ve been at my happiest, riding horses like Paisley Park has been a mainstay since 2019, we picked up Epatante, Jonbon, winning the Champion Chase on Put The Kettle On. I would have a good army of behind me when I got to September and they hit the board regularly,” said Coleman.

“I kind of gave up the idea of being champion jockey and being a slave to the game, that just wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the good horses so much I just wanted to focus on them rather than the numbers and since I did that I think I rode better.”

Leopardstown’s Classic trials card will go ahead as planned after the track passed a 7.30am inspection.

The P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes is one of the highlights having produced several top-class performers over the years, including three subsequent Epsom winners in Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002) and Harzand (2016).

Two other Group Three events in the Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” Stakes and the Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” Stakes also take place on ground described as heavy.

Clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer said: “The track at Leopardstown is fit for racing and the fixture scheduled for today goes ahead.

“The ground remains heavy but we had no measurable rain at the track in the last 24 hours and some strong winds. Today looks to be mainly sunny and breezy.”

The track at Carlisle also passed a 7am inspection allowing the final day of the Go North Series Finals to go take place, although conditions are heavy.

Tuesday’s meeting at Hexham has been called off though, with areas of false ground and standing water on the course.

Lionel Messi has scored in his return for Inter Miami in their 2-2 draw against the Colorado Rapids.

Messi has been out of action since he was subbed off during the Champions Cup match against Nashville on March 13, missing four Inter Miami games and two with Argentina during his period on the sidelines.

He returned to the field on Saturday night from the bench, scoring and equalising in the 58th minute after Colorado forward Rafael Navarro scored via penalty just before halftime.

In his fourth goal in the MLS this season, Messi beat Rapids keeper Zach Steffen to the ball and took a low shot that struck the post before skittering across the goal, eventually crossing the line.

Just minutes later Messi was involved again, passing to David Ruiz, who sent it towards forward Leo Alfonso for his first goal at the club, giving Inter Miami the lead.

Colorado’s Cole Bassett hit back late to tie the game in the 88th minute for the Rapids, driving the ball to the bottom right corner off his left foot.

Notable Speech and Devoted Queen both remained unbeaten with impressive displays at Kempton, as Charlie Appleby could have unearthed a couple of Classic contenders.

With the form of his previous course-and-distance victory over Cuban Tiger getting a timely boost at Newcastle recently, Dubawi colt Notable Speech was sent off the 4-7 favourite for his third career appearance in the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily British EBF Conditions Stakes.

Up against some smart rivals, including Ralph Beckett’s well-regarded Derby entrant Valvano, he was ridden with supreme confidence by William Buick and showed a blistering turn of foot as he sprinted past that challenger in the closing stages.

The Godolphin homebred was cut to as short as 14-1 with bet365 for the 2000 Guineas, with his rider feeling he has now justified a step up in grade.

Buick said: “He’s shown the last twice here he can do that and it was a really good performance and he deserves to go up in grade now.

“Today was a warm race with a few unexposed types and he gave away weight to all of them, so I’m delighted.

“I was very pleased with how he has done physically since the last time I rode him – he has really filled out and I feel like he has grown a bit as well, which is always nice to see from a horse who has had two runs.

“I couldn’t be more happy with him and I tested him a little bit today and he quickened up in a stride.

“I just had to pick a path and he’s such a genuine, easy horse to deal with. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.

“It’s so wet, so it was a nice opportunity for him to come here and run again on this surface. I think he would handle a little bit of cut in the ground, but he’s a very fast horse with a low action, so I think he would want a bit of decent ground.

“He’s opened up a few options there but he’s a speedy miler.”

Buick was also in the plate aboard another hot Moulton Paddocks prospect as Devoted Queen overcame her inexperience to instigate a Godolphin double on the card in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places British EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes.

Although far from the finished article, her jockey was encouraged by the promise shown and is hopeful the 1-2 odds-on scorer can become a smart performer as the season progresses

“It was very much a learning day for her and she has come through it,” added Buick, who also tasted Listed success on the card aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Adelaise.

“She’s very inexperienced and she needs to work on a few things. I’m sure she will get there and today was a new experience for her, she was a bit fresh early but got there in the end.

“When she hit the front, she probably had a bit of a look and showed her inexperience, so all in all I think everyone will be really pleased with that.

“It’s a bit early to say (about the 1000 Guineas) and I’m sure we will get her home and those options will be discussed. She has got the talent.

“She is the type of filly, with the way she is built, that will keep improving and progressing and I’m sure there is plenty to look forward to with her.”

A taking winner of a Newmarket maiden previously, Devoted Queen was trimmed to 20-1 from 25s by Coral for the Qipco 1000 Guineas on May 5.

Duty Of Care booked his ticket to Royal Ascot when going one better than last year in the Virgin Bet Queen’s Prize Handicap at Kempton.

Second to Charlie Appleby’s Bandinelli in the valuable staying contest 12 months ago, Saffie Osborne left nothing to chance aboard her father Jamie’s six-year-old this time around as she tracked the strong pace set by James Owen’s Sweet Fantasy.

Entering the straight for the final time, the 6-1 chance had just Sweet Fantasy ahead and as that rival began to cry enough, Duty Of Care was relishing every yard as he bounded on to a comfortable two-and-three-quarter-length success over fellow race regular Sleeping Lion.

Owned by Pat Gallagher, Duty Of Care could next be seen at Ascot in the summer, with Osborne senior targeting the Ascot Stakes at the royal meeting for the son of Kingman.

The trainer said: “He just needs a true test and the last couple of runs we haven’t had that. We didn’t take any chances today and we stuck him on the front end, and if the pace was going to slacken, we were there, so it stayed true.

“Thankfully, we had a good lead and we didn’t need to do it ourselves and he’s a different horse once it becomes a two-mile race where you need two-mile stamina.

“Pat has been very patient and I have been telling him for a long time that this horse is alright and he keeps getting beaten.

“The Ascot Stakes over two-and-a-half (will be the plan). He will be fine on the turf and he probably won’t run again until then. That’s my plan and I will have to discuss it with the owner, but I think that would be a very obvious call for him now.”

The burden of top-weight proved no barrier to success for Cemhaan as George Baker’s charge secured a surprise victory in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Rosebery Handicap at Kempton.

The seven-year-old was already a dual winner at the Sunbury circuit, with his most recent triumph last May followed by a third-place finish behind Vauban in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot.

He was subsequently well beaten in the Ebor at York, though, and while his January comeback at Kempton was not devoid of promise, he was a 25-1 shot for this £100,000 contest in the hands of Neil Callan.

After jumping out of the stalls smartly, Cemhaan briefly threatened to make all the running before eventually sitting on the heels of both Killybegs Warrior and Old Peculier.

With the pace visibly slackening before the home turn, the front end turned out to be the place to be and both Killybegs Warrior and Cemhaan found another gear once asked to fight out the finish.

Killybegs Warrior did not go down easily, but Cemhaan wore him down late on and passed the post three-quarters of a length to the good, with the free-going Intinso best of the rest in third.

“It was a very good, tough performance – he loves the track, this horse,” Callan said of the winner.

“He’s been so consistent and had a good run at Ascot last year, which just shows you the sort of level he’s been mixing it at.

“I won a small-field handicap on him last year when he dominated from the front and he jumped that well I was going to let him bowl along again today, but James (Doyle, on Killybegs Warrior) was intent on getting to the front.

“I kind of knew when he got there, he would slow it up, which I knew would suit me because my horse had a lot of weight on his back and you wouldn’t want to be stretching him from a long way out.

“I think the way the race panned out played into my hands and as long as I had the revs up going to the junction at the cut-off, I knew I’d pick them off. He’s very genuine and tough.”

Baker’s wife, Candida, added: “George is playing golf in Africa. I think he’d much rather be here today!

“I’m so pleased. Cemhaan went all the way to St Moritz and then the racing was called off, which was very annoying as all the owners were out there and it takes about three days to get him there.

“This was always the plan for him once we brought him back. With that top-weight, he was so tough, I got the saddle off Neil and I was carrying it thinking, ‘God, I’m not going to put this on him too early if I can help it’. He’s just so genuine, tries so much and I’m chuffed to bits, he owes us nothing.

“Neil is an excellent jockey – when he’s in a ride-off against another jockey, I’d back him every time, even when it’s against James Doyle.”