The exchange of money between the Goffs sales company and the Co Dublin trainer Eddie Lynam is in serious danger of favouring the latter as he again hit the mark in the Goffs £100,000 Challenge at the Curragh last night.

Lynam saddled the newcomer Berlin to sweep by the opposition for a two-length victory over Mowassel and vindicate his opinion that the diminutive colt is "a very, very good horse".

Just two years ago Lynam saddled the smart Rolo Tomasi to win the restricted race just as impressively and Lynam was quick to point out he won another valuable Goffs-sponsored race, the Sportmans Challenge, with Tantum Ergo at the old Phoenix Park.

"This horse is very good but he's had lots of problems. He was supposed to run on the first day of the Flat but got sore shins. Then when we got him right he got a sore back. He's only been doing half speeds but that's all he had to do to from the furlong pole anyway," said Lynam, who nominated York's Gimcrack Stakes as a possible future target.

When Eddie Ahern asked Berlin to quicken at the furlong pole the response was instant and the seven lengths back to Elbader in third place was encouraging. The English favourite Spirit Of Song led to the distance but quickly faded and was found to be in respiratory distress afterwards.

Ahern had earlier helped to dampen punters' ardour even more when just getting the 20 to 1 newcomer Mick My Mongrello up in the last stride to beat Step With Style.

The latter was generally agreed to have shaded the finish but the photo print said different and Ahern's mount got the nod.

John Oxx did take the apprentices Derby but not as expected with the 8 to 11 Hariya. That one was beaten before the straight but her stable companion Alaya maintained her gallop to just edge out Via Rodeo and give rider Mary Williamson a fifth winner.