Profound Beauty sinks Age Of Aquarius in Saval Beg Stakes

Dermot Weld spiked Ballydoyle's big guns for the second week running when sending out Profound Beauty to take the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstownthis afternoon. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Age Of Aquarius was sent off the 2-5 favourite to build upon a promising return at Chester and book his place in the line-up for next month's Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. But instead it was the 4-1 chance Profound Beauty who quickened past with a furlong to run and just held the sustained challenge of the market-leader by half a length to follow up Bethrah's Irish 1,000 Guineas success last Sunday. Weld, who remains the only European to have trained the winner of the Melbourne Cup, sent out Profound Beauty to finish fifth in the race back in 2008 and a repeat trip may be on the cards later this year. "Profound Beauty is a very good racemare and she may finish her career in the Melbourne Cup in November," said Weld. "The ground today was beautiful and she loved the surface." The winning rider, Pat Smullen, said: "I was a little bit worried as I knew Age Of Aquarius was going to be fit today and our filly was a little bit unfit, but she quickened up well. "I probably went on a bit too soon with her. She got tired as soon as I let her go, but class always outs and she got me home. "I think all of those staying races are open to her now. I think she's even got a little quicker this year but she wouldn't want firm ground and that's the quandary for her with Melbourne." The Luca Cumani-trained Contredanse won the Italian Oaks at San Siro. Kieren Fallon squeezed the daughter of Danehill Dancer home by a short head from Richard Hannon's Middle Club to give British raiders a one-two in the Group Two contest. Artificial watering is set to resume at Epsom today, after the racecourse dodged the worst of the weekend's wet weather. Only four millimetres fell when up to 10 had been predicted and the forecast is for a generally dry week. The current going ahead of Saturday's Derby is good, good to firm in places.