Murtagh on form

Murtagh produced the filly to lead in the dying strides to deny Front House and the winner's stable companion Happy Spirit.

Brown said: "Johnny has timed that perfectly and it was a good performance from both our fillies. We knew they would have come on for their first run and the horses are going well."

Murtagh was also successful on the Mike De Kock-trained Bankable, a former inmate of Luca Cumani who had suffered a severe dose of 'seconditis' last year.

The duo hit the front inside the final furlong after a long sweeping challenge down the outside and a delighted De Kock said: "He is a nice horse and one we hope will be a World Cup night contender."

The Etisalat Weyak Handicap was won impressively by the De Kock-trained Diana's Choice, who was posting her second 2009 Carnival win and initiated her trainer's double.

Richard Mullen guided the Rod Simpson-trained Balthazaar's Gift, another former Cumani inmate, to an improbable victory in the Etisalat Blackberry Handicap.

Having been denied a run throughout most of the straight, the six-year-old began to pick up once in the clear and ran on to lead right on the line.

Simpson said: "That is brilliant. I knew he was travelling like a winner but we just needed the gaps to open, and finally they did."

On a night of doubles, Mullen completed a brace on Satish Seemar's local debutant Pompeyano, who battled bravely to hold the late challenge of Strategic News in the Etisalat MMS Handicap.

Musabah Al Muhairi's Snaafy appears a progressive dirt performer and won his second race of the campaign when landing the Etisalat Hotspot Trophy under Richard Hills.

The jockey said: "The horse is certainly going the right way and could progress further with luck."

Godolphin's Two Step Salsa made an impressive local winning debut in the Etisalat Wasel Trophy with Frankie Dettori in the saddle.

Never far away, he forged clear a furlong out and trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said: "We thought he would run well and that was very pleasing."