Sealed with a kiss...Mashhoor Derby magic for Dowd and Murtagh

Meath sporting legends Tommy Dowd and Johnny Murtagh combined to produce a stunning victory on day one of the Irish Derby Festival at the Curragh on Saturday when Mashhoor defied odds of 6/1 to see of hot favourite Al Riffa to to claim the Group 3 Paddy Power International Stakes.

All-Ireland winning Meath captain Dowd is the front man for the Brunaboinne syndicate that owns Mashhoor and they have certainly enjoyed some great days with the Murtagh trained horse, but none bigger than Saturday - so far.

Mashhoor bounced out of the gates for Ben Coen and kept building the pace throughout.

The pair were a healthy four lengths clear of the 'jolly' Al Riffa half a mile out with the other three horses well off the pace.

Coen asked him to go and win his race in the final quarter of a mile and Mashhoor was well up to the challenge.

The five-year-old Kingman gelding didn't give a hard-ridden Al Riffa a sniff from outside the final furlong and stormed in by almost five lengths.

“It's really very special when Tommy Dowd comes to you in the parade ring and says 'I'm more nervous now than I was on All-Ireland day'. I said 'ah come on, sure we don't have anything to do anymore — it's up to Ben now!'," said Bohermeen man Murtagh.

Mashhoor has given Dowd and the syndicate that includes Thomas Shankey, Kevin Carr, Joe Smyth, James Cogan and Seamus McGarry great days out when he won a handicap at Cork in April and the FBD Hotels & Resorts Orby Stakes at the Curragh in May.

"The Royals are back again, it's just unbelievable. What this little man (Johnny Murtagh) can do is incredible.

“That was probably one of the top Group 3 races there will be for the year with all the good horses in it," said Dowd.

"It is an incredible experience, I just can't explain it, it's unbelieveable.

"We have the maestro in Ballydoyle, but we have the wizard here in Kildare in Johnny Murtagh. He is a phenomenal man and a Meath man as well, let's not forget that.

"We've known this man all our life. He came from a great generation of people, he is just an incredible man, there is no doubt about it.

"We have a great syndicate and it was put together by Kevin and Cathy (Carr). Cathy lost her nephew last week, David McAteer. He was a great man, loved his farming, but was killed in a tragic accident. We want to send our sympathies to the McAteer family.

"It's a terror what one week can do. That's the way life is and unfortunately life has to go on for the McAteer family without David, but they have plenty of friends and support behind them.

"We also remember poor Denis Kealy that got killed in an accident last weekend as well. We send the whole lot of them our sympathies.

"My own wife shattered her kneecap in a fall in the kitchen.

“I told her not to be drinking too much of that gin, but in all seriousness we miss her here today and we send her our best regards and love, but she'll be back for the next day.

"There'll be some party tonight, we'll take the long way home. She might be at home with her leg in a cast, but she mightn't see me til next Thursday or Friday.

"This is great. This is a great group of friends and it's great to be here with great people and it's always great when you beat the top opposition as well, there's nothing like it," concluded Dowd.

Saturday's win will open plenty of doors to more big race opportunities for Mashhoor and the Brunaboinne boys, with a trip to France possibly on the cards later in the summer.