Alexios Komnenos wins Leopardstown Desmond Stakes

The Choisir colt was a smart performer as a juvenile last term, notably finishing just a neck behind subsequent Classic winner Churchill in the Tyros Stakes last July.

However, he was sidelined after that run until making his return when third in a Listed event at the Curragh last month, with that outing clearly having done Fozzy Stack's charge the world of good.

Chris Hayes tracked early leader Custom Cut up the rails before unleashing Alexios Komnenos with around a furlong to run.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Music Box emerged late from the chasing pack and while she gave it her best, she was a length and a half down at the line with Custom Cut a further short head back in third. 

"He quickened up well. It's amazing, with what he's been through, to even be here today," said Stack.

"A big thanks goes to the staff at home and every vet in O'Byrne and Halleys. It's a wonder he's here at all. They gave him a 10 percent chance of racing again.

"He had an infection in his hind suspensory. They had to split his suspensory to wash it out and get the infection out. They even flew special maggots over from England that fight infection.

"It was just an infection and it must have been something going around his system. There wasn't a cut or a mark or anything. It happened just a week or 10 days before the National Stakes last year.

"If he's still in one piece in a few weeks' time, he'll come back for the Group Two Boomerang Stakes. We'll leave him at a mile for the minute.

"He was six months doing nothing and it's only his fourth run. He probably doesn't kill himself when he gets to the front. Hopefully he'll improve.

"The dream lives on a bit longer and hopefully he's all right in the morning."

O'Brien might have been out of luck with Music Box, but he was on the mark with Nelson in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden.

Sent off the 1/2 favourite after finishing sixth and second in two previous outings, Nelson ran out a cosy three-length winner over stablemate Christopher Robin in the mile heat.

"You'd be delighted with that. He came forward lovely from his first to his second (run). He ran a nice race the last day but came forward again," said O'Brien.

"We could look at the Beresford or something like that with him. He gets a mile well and stays well. He was galloping out well to the line.

"You'd be delighted with the runner-up as well. He ran a lovely race and he's a lovely horse. He was just ready to come and you'd be delighted with the way he kept coming.

"They went an even pace and it was a very good run out of him because it wasn't a dawdle. It was a good run for a first timer."

Dermot Weld is planning to step up to Group One level with Chiara Luna (4/5 favourite) after her victory in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Making her debut in the six-furlong heat, the daughter of War Front kept on well in the final furlong for Pat Smullen to see off Modern Love by three-quarters of a length.

"It was a nice performance for her first start, for a filly that's bred to go much further. She'll learn a lot," said Weld.

"She loved the nice ground and I appreciate the distance was always going to be a bit short for her. Hopefully next time with that benefit and over a bit further you will see a progressive filly. You could see the stamina coming through (at the end) and we ran her too short to teach her.

"We'll see how she comes out of the race, and see how she progresses, but obviously the Moyglare is a very logical possible next target for her.

"If for any reason we thought she needed more time, we'd probably wait for the CL Weld Park Stakes over the stiff seven at Naas, but the Moyglare is the most likely next race for her.

"(Her dam) Princess Highway was a real mile-and-a-half mare and this filly will be best at a mile, I'd say, this year."