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‘Ryan said she won’t mind stepping up to a mile’

Happen  came from the clouds to land a thrilling renewal of the Coolmore Gleneagles Irish EBF Athasi Stakes at the Curragh.

A field of 10 fillies and mares went to post for the seven-furlong Group Three, with Aidan O’Brien’s Happen among the market principals at 11-4 having chased home Sunday’s 1000 Guineas runner-up Lady Kaya at Leopardstown last month.

Her supporters will have been sweating a furlong out, with Happen towards the rear of the field under Ryan Moore.

However, she rattled home late on and got up to nail Mick Channon’s British raider Dan’s Dream right on the line.

There was just a short head between the pair, with Rionach only a neck further away in third after making much of the running.

O’Brien said: “Her dam (Alexandrova) was always best doing that and she couldn’t come from far enough back.

“Ryan said she won’t mind stepping up to a mile so that’s where we will go next (Irish 1,000 Guineas).”