A Bit Of Spirit came out on top of a thrilling finish to the seven-furlong BetMGM Solario Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

Having filled the runner-up spot in both the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes and Stonehenge Stakes on his last two outings, Clive Cox's charge certainly wasn't winning out of turn.

Success didn't always look likely for the hardy son of Palace Pier as four horses formed a straight line across the track but under an all-action Rossa Ryan, Clive Cox's front-running juvenile battled back to give himself a fighting chance with Humidity and Oceans Four in a three-way photo finish.

The trio went to the line in unison but after a moment of deliberation from the judge, it was called that A Bit Of Spirit had his head down in the right spot. The winning margin was a nose, with Humidity handed the runner-up spot from Oceans Four by the stewards' after suffering interference late on.

"He is so tough," said Cox. "I think he was beaten there for a minute then he got back up. He has got remarkable courage, that is the thing. I couldn't be more pleased.

"When he crossed the line, I wasn't sure he had won, but three or four strides afterwards I thought he was in front. He knuckled down really tough, and soundly, so all credit to the horse and rider.

"We had no idea if he would cope with conditions this easy as we haven't seen ground like this all summer. I'm just so proud of him. He is all heart, and he is so tough."

On what future plans may hold, Cox added: "Now he handles this ground, as long as he is well in himself, we can plot accordingly. Jason (Maguire, racing manager to Paul and Clare Rooney) will have a good chat. He has got all those options wide open. I'm just thrilled he has taken this step today.

"Today was a learning curve from that point of view (if he could handle the ground) and I think that confirms we will be able to plot with a little bit more confidence where we are going.

"He is in the Royal Lodge, but we might prefer to stay at seven furlongs. He is in the Lagardere over in France."

Lady Of Spain strikes to remain unbeaten

The Roger Varian-trained Lady Of Spain defied a significant absence and notable inexperience on the turf when running out a ready winner of the Group 3 BetMGM Atalanta Stakes.

The daughter of Phoenix Of Spain was making her turf debut and first appearance since landing the Prix Petite Etoile at Deauville in December last year. However, neither surface nor lay-off could prevent the progressive four-year-old from taking her record to five from five under Ray Dawson, who opted to bide his time at the rear of the field before delivering a telling late blow in the home straight.

Andrew Balding's Blue Bolt ensured that she was kept honest all the way up the Sandown hill, but she couldn't quite match the finishing kick of Lady Of Spain, who went on to prevail by half a length. Skellet finished four and a half lengths off the winner back in third.

Ray Dawson, who was riding his first winner since returning from a fractured wrist, said: "Roger spoke to me this morning and said they really like her.

"Obviously she's not run for a while, had never been on turf and was encountering soft ground, so there was a lot of questions we asked her and in fairness she answered all of them.

"She's handled condition and the time off the track has been no problem, so she seems a proper filly.

"The plan was to slide forward and hopefully slot in the first five or six and after a furlong I noticed there was a big gap in between the four horses upsides me so I took back and I had a willing partner who was tough when it got quite tight and messy going round the bend.

"She got in and held her position and whether that made the difference I don't know but she's obviously got a lot of ability."

Queen Of Hawaii too hot to handle

Joseph O'Brien looks to have a useful prospect on his hands after Queen Of Hawaii readily accounted for her opposition in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes at the Curragh.

A commanding winner of a mile Leopardstown maiden second time out, Queen Of Hawaii found herself pitched into Group 3 company for her next start as she geared up to take on Aidan O'Brien's duo of Sugar Island and Moments Of Joy.

Always towards the fore under Dylan Browne McMonagle, Joseph O'Brien's juvenile filly picked up to mount a serious challenge passing the two-furlong marker before running

on strongly to get the better of Moments Of Joy by two and a quarter lengths. Ridersinthesky finished third.

Mission Central claims Round Tower honours

Aidan O'Brien's Mission Central looks destined for greater things following his snug all-the-way success in the six-furlong Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh.

Connections opted to geld the son of No Nay Never on the back of his disappointing debut at Dundalk in April and it looked a decision well made when recorded a striking wide-margin success in a Curragh maiden earlier in the month.

Returned to the Curragh for a crack at Group 3 company, Mission Central always looked in command under on Wayne Lordan. The duo set about to make all the running towards the near side rail and although the Joseph O'Brien-trained The Publican's Son ran on well in the closing stages to get within three parts of a length, he never really looked like troubling Aidan O'Brien's latest two-year-old winner. There was another length and a half back to Learntodiscover in third spot.

Mission Central is the first foal out of Thar She Blows, an unraced sister to the Group 1 heroine Prosperous Voyage.

Moore set for spell on the sidelines

Away from the track, Ryan Moore has been ruled out for a lengthy amount of time due to a stress fracture to his femur.

Moore had been scheduled to ride at the Curragh this afternoon but was stood down from his rides at midday.

The Ballyboyle number one now looks set to miss a sizeable spell and will duly be on the sidelines for a whole host of Group 1 races.

"He'd been struggling with his right leg since after the Irish Derby," said Aidan O'Brien. "He was getting plenty done to it and trying to keep it well, but he had a scan yesterday and when they did the scan, they found a fracture in his femur.

When asked whether he's resigned to not having Moore in the saddle for big races on the horizon, he added: "I think so yes. They said he was very lucky it didn't break. Fractures are done on a scale of 1-4 and his was a 4.

"It's amazing that he was able to keep going with it. Time and he'll be back. He's made of concrete and that just proves it. He'll be back."