WEEK IN, week out of the summer has seen Aidan O'Brien and his team at Ballydoyle really farm the glittering prizes of Black Type races. The past week has seen the Ballydoyle maestro take three Group 1 races in Ireland with the Moyglare Stud Stakes, Coolmore Matron Stakes and the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes all going to his horses.

As has often been the case, it is not always a hot-pot that wins for O'Brien but sometimes the lesser-fancied horse gets to the front and wins at good odds. The Moyglare Stud Stakes run at The Curragh, on August 29, is the premier fillies' Group 1 flat race run in the country.

This year's renewal was no different, with twelve fillies facing the starter. With the favourite, ' Memory', coming from Britain, the international field saw 'Misty For Me', a two-year-old daughter of 'Galileo', lead all the way under Seamus Heffernan and score at 10/1. A maiden winner, this filly looks like a certainty to stay even further next year.

The Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes run on Saturday last at Leopardstown saw O'Brien supply three of the six runners in this prestigious race, with 'Rip Van Winkle', 'Cape Blanco' and 'Beethoven' providing the main defence from the British challenger, ' Twice Over'. With the ground riding on the good side following some rainfall, the one mile and two furlong contest was made into a stamina test by Seamus Heffernan on 'Cape Blanco'.

This three-year-old son of 'Galileo' had run a well-beaten second to 'Harbinger' at Ascot in July, over a mile and a half on very fast ground, set a quick gallop and exposed the stamina and class limitations of some to stride away and win by just under six lengths. The winner of the Irish Derby this year, this horse, who is out of a five-furlong sprint winner, clearly gets his stamina from his Sire. Leaving the odds-on favourite, 'Rip Van Winkle', in his wake, this three-year-old is clearly very classy.

With 'Rip Van Winkle' and 'Twice Over' separated by a short head this time, confirming their Juddmonte International form nearly to an ounce, it is hard to question the form of the race.

The other Group 1 race on the card also went O'Brien's way when 'Lily Langtry', a winner at Royal Ascot, shaded the five-yearold mare 'Spacious' to win under Johnny Murtagh at 7/2. This is a tough daughter of 'Danehill Dancer' and she will hopefully race on until season's end.

LAST EVENING MEETING

The last evening meeting of the year will take place at Down Royal on September 10. Needless to say, racing under lights at the all-weather track in Dundalk remains for the rest of the year so technically evening racing continues, but to all racing people, 'real' evening racing is staged on grass! With the last evening meeting this week, the last classic in Ireland will also be staged with the running of the Irish St. Leger at The Curragh on September 11. Open to older horses and geldings, this race could turn into a real humdinger between 'Rites of Passage' and 'Kite Wood', not to mention the chosen horse from Ballydoyle which still has to be nominated.

When you throw in the huge advertising campaign under way for the Harvest Festival at Listowel, a noticeable shortening of the evenings, the last classic of the year being run and a nip in the air most mornings, winter cannot be far away!

With the Guinness Kerry Grand National being the highlight of the Listowel meeting on September 15, a quality field of 41 has been entered, headed by 'Mossbank' for Michael Hourigan and this year's Galway Plate winner, 'Fingeronthepulse', for Tom Taaffe . Local trainer Paul Nolan has 'Alpha Ridge' engaged, and the eight-year-old owned by Jim Mernagh could be given a spin in the Grade A three-mile chase.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

Michael Cullen hit the target at Clonmel on September 2 with the 'Lahib' five-yearold, 'Flight Control'. This horse was tipped in last week's Eyecatchers - yes I know, what's seldom is wonderful - but he was tipped and he did win at 8/1. Ridden by Martin Doran, the horse raced prominently and upset the favourite, 'Captain Sully'.

The Ballydoyle stables of Aidan O'Brien didn't just leave it at winning the Group 1 races, he also won the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes with 'Await The Dawn' and recorded other victories with 'Juliet Capulet', 'Treasure Beach' and 'Clearwater Bay', while Jim Bolger took a race with 'Priomhbhean' under Kevin Manning at Leopardstown to complete our report.

- with DICK WHITE