ANZIO, claimed for £6,000, out of a Lingfield all weather seller in February, came from a long way back inside the distance to short head Ailleacht in yesterday's, Group Three Ballyogan Stakes at Leopardstown. Trained at Whitcombe in Dorset by Gay Kelleway and ridden by Ray Cochrane, the Irish bred and Irish owned five year old is the fifth successive English trained winner of this competitive sprint.

Last of the field of six with less than a furlong to run Anzio exploded in the last half furlong, the momentum propelling him between Ailleacht and Sunset Reigns in the last stride. Almaty ran well on this his seasonal debut to finish a length behind in fourth place.

After Anzio had won at Lingfield he was sold the following day to Tommy Staunton, a Castlebar businessman, representing a syndicate of five, all from Castlebar. The horse has now won his last three races.

"He's improving and will next run in the Wokingham Stakes" said a delighted Gay Kelleway convinced that her trainer father Paul will win next Saturday's Epsom Derby with Glory Of Dancer. The extra furlong of the Wokingham should suit Anzio but his prime objective is the five furlongs Prix de I'Abbaye at the Arc meeting.

Ailleacht whose short head defeat deprived Jim Bolger of a treble, will run in a listed race at Tipperary. "She wanted faster ground" said her trainer.

Bolger, who had earlier landed the listed Silver Flash Stakes with Azra saddled the marvelously consistent Idris to win the listed Glencairn Stakes, narrowly but convincingly from Free To Speak.

Idris, who has now won four races at Leopardstown and four at the Curragh, might yet take on the three year olds in the Gallinule & Stakes at the Curragh, next Saturday. Dermot Weld will decide in the next few days whether to run Humbel or Zagreb. The latter, who has an alternate engagement at Leopardstown on June 12th, has suffered a heavy cold.

Via Verbano, who looked a good filly in the making when winning on her debut on the track last month, was very disappointing in the Silver Flash Stakes. She finished only fourth behind her lesser fancied stable companion Azra, who made all on the far rails to credit Jim Bolger's apprentice Ted Durcan with his first listed winner. However, Via Verbano was later found to be lame.

Azra had previously overcome soft ground to win over this course on her second outing but her handler claims she needs better ground. She is a big, strong, improving filly," he added, nominating the Railway Stakes at the Curragh as her next objective.

Desert Ease, a Weld trained debutante, went down to the start as favourite but, having punctured a vein in a leg en route to the course, was withdrawn at the start on veterinary advise as the bandaged leg had begun to bleed again.

Weld and Michael Kinane combined to win the Milltown Handicap with the blinkered Cordial Knight, who beat Magic Combination by a length and a half. However, the drifting winner lost the race in the stewards room for interference about a furlong down, twice hampering the runner up. Weld and Kinane later compensated when Ham ad proved an easy winner of the Sommerville Handicap.

Magic Combination is trained by Kevin Prendergast and was ridden by, Willie Supple. The partnership teams up with Hamdan Al Maktoum's Tasdid in Saturday's Derby at Epsom. Tasdid, who finished a staying fourth behind Idris in a one mile listed race over this course on his seasonal debut last month, has, been working very well and, according to his handler is definitely not being sent to Epsom as a pacemaker to the owner's better fancied Alhaarath.

Roi Croft looked to have justified favouritism when catching Regal Domain and Another SkyLark in the closing stages of the opening Nutgrove Handicap but the Leopardstown camera invariably favours the fastest finishing horse, especially on the stands side. In this case it was the Pat Flynn trained Yavana's Pace, who was denied an opening when arriving with his challenge and in the dying stages bad to squeeze through. However, Roi Crofts rider Pat Gilson had dropped his hands, evidently thinking the race was won. He incurred a seven day suspension and forfeited his riding fee.

Yavana's Pace was yet another win for the Flynn stable which has been so successful in recent weeks.

The Aidan O'Brien trained newcomer Erramore had established a commanding lead when stumbling and almost falling a few strides from the post in the Clonskeagh Flat Race.

There will be a £60,000 guaranteed Jackpot for Leopardstown's next meeting on tomorrow week. This is the Horizons Race evening and carries £100,000 in prize money.

. Linda Perratt sent the locals home happy by completing a 118 to 1 double her first of the season with Biff-Em and Sunday Mail Too at Hamilton Park yesterday.

The Cree Lodge, Ayr trainer who was taking her 1996 Flat tally to three, had the Biff-Em turned out looking magnificent for the EBF Mandora Maiden Stakes.

And the son of Durgam, whom the trainer also owns, proved the old adage handsome is as handsome does by leading virtually all the way and knocking the opposition for six to open his account at the third attempt in the hands of Jason Weaver.