Smullen signs off strongly

Pat Smullen, who flies out this morning for a winter stint in Dubai, signed off his Irish campaign in the best possible fashion when partnering Enzeli to take the £25,000 O'Callaghan Hotels Leopardstown November Handicap as the curtain closed on the flat season at the Foxrock venue yesterday.

The Kahyasi half-brother to Group One winning fillies Ebadiyla and Edabiya, rallied gamely when headed briefly by Miltonfield a furlong out to score by two and a half lengths.

John Oxx, recording his third win in this event but his first since Fanny Dillon on 1989, missed the victory as he was enjoying the Breeders Cup action at Churchill Downs but the Aga Khan's stud manager Pat Downes confirmed that the three-year-old will stay in training next season, saying: "If he continues to progress he could develop into a cup horse next year."

Dermot Weld crowned his ninth trainer's championship by taking the Alexander Hotel Knockaire Stakes with Free To Speak and, in the process, supplied Kevin Manning with his first success for the Rosewell House handler.

"He is a great servant, and will stay in training next year," said Weld of the six-year-old, who enjoyed his finest hour when capturing the McDonogh Handicap at Galway during the summer.

Weld felt a bit aggrieved at not getting the other Listed event on the card - the Davenport Hotel Eyrefield Stakes - with Port Bayou, whom he felt was intimidated. The colt was beaten a short-head by Wild Heaven, with the head-on camera showing that the Charles O'Brien-trained filly had drifted right towards Weld's charge in the closing stages although no contact was made.

Nurseries have played a big part in Kevin Prendergast's total of 29 winners this season, and the Curragh handler added to his juvenile tally when Taisho landed the valuable Mont Clare Hotel EBF Premier Nursery.

John Dunlop's Taipan easily repeated his 1997 win in the £88,706 Group One Premio Roma (10f) in Rome yesterday. Pat Eddery's mount (3 to 5) relished his front running role by comfortably disposing of Martino Alonso by two and a half lengths. Eco Friendly, the Barry Hills runner, was unplaced.

Earlier, the Group Two Premio Ribot (1m) was won by British import Midyan Call (83-10).