Legatissimo swept clear in the hands of Wayne Lordan to run out an impressive winner of the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes at Gowran Park.

Wayne Lordan: On target at Gowran Park.

Having won her final four starts as a three-year-old for the formidable combination of Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen, Carla Bianca was all the rage for the Listed feature, sent off the 4/5 favourite on her first start since August.

The David Wachman-trained Legatissimo was second best in the market at 3/1 after finishing fourth on her seasonal reappearance in the Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial a fortnight ago.

Queen Of Alba cut out the early running, with Aidan O’Brien’s Wedding Vow and Carla Bianca her closest pursuers.

Legatissimo, however, was ridden more patiently and arrived on the scene full of running with two of the nine furlongs left to run.

With Carla Bianca weakening tamely, Wedding Vow put up most resistance, but Wachman’s charge had too many guns and quickened three and three-quarter lengths clear.

Euphrasia beat Carla Bianca to third spot.

Wachman said: “She liked the good ground. She got stuck in the mud at Leopardstown the last day and Wayne was adamant that day it was the ground. That was much more like it.

“She was a big, weak filly last year and has done well from two to three. I don’t think she will get much further than today, although her dam is a sister to Fame And Glory.

“She’s in everything and I’ll have to talk to Wayne and discuss it with the owners before deciding where she will go next.

“She’s a straightforward filly and the faster they go, the better she is.”

Sky Bet cut the winner’s odds from 50/1 to 25/1 for the Investec Oaks and from 40/1 to 25/1 for next Sunday’s Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

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Wachman said: “She liked the good ground. She got stuck in the mud at Leopardstown the last day and Wayne was adamant that day it was the ground. That was much more like it.

“She was a big, weak filly last year and has done well from two to three. I don’t think she will get much further than today, although her dam is a sister to Fame And Glory.

“She’s in everything and I’ll have to talk to Wayne and discuss it with the owners before deciding where she will go next.

“She’s a straightforward filly and the faster they go, the better she is.”

Sky Bet cut the winner’s odds from 50/1 to 25/1 for the Investec Oaks and from 40/1 to 25/1 for next Sunday’s Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.