IRISH blarney - a Salisbury handicapper winner taking a group one event this year?

That's fact, not fiction believe connections of The Tartan Spartan, so long as he gets soft ground.

"He's a real class act," enthused joint owner Jimmy Long after the four-year-old - despite markedly drifting from 7/4 to 3/1 in the betting - belied their fears of the firm ground by coasting him in the City Bowl handicap yesterday.

The feature race had been one of three under consideration for the Irish raider, unluckily beaten in a valuable race at Edinburgh last month.

The Sigaro at Ascot was discounted and Chester ruled out because of its tightness.

So the Salisbury plan was hatched, and easily accomplished.

"We were very confident," Long admitted. "He ran in the St Leger last year but was too weak. We won today but he's a much better horse in the soft.

"He's a superstar and if the ground is soft, we think he will win a group one either in England, France or Ireland. That's how good he is."

It was the second winner of the day for trainer John Shanahan, saddling his first runners at the course with Sharp Defence endorsing the form guide as an odds on favourite should by easing home in the first division of the seven furlong opening maiden.

"The race suited the horse and the horse suited the race," was Long's simple explanation for the entry. "There's not a lot going on in Ireland at the moment."

There was a nice story behind Snow Squaw's battling success in the second division by providing apprentice John Egan with his first winner for David Elsworth, for whom he began riding out as a ten-year-old.

"She had good early form and was only just beaten at Ascot last year. On a jockey's advice, I ran her over what was a totally inadequate trip over the winter. She only just got home today but will improve a lot."

The yard has been in disappointing form this season but Elsworth hopes this will be the shape of things to come.

"So far," he quipped, "it's been like trying to get a sun tan without the sun!"

In contrast, Roger Charlton has made his fastest ever start to a season, four of his last five runners winning, the latest being Stone The Crows in the 12 furlong maiden.

"She's still very green and gawky but learning," was Charlton's assessment of the three-year-old filly. "She stays well and the ground was probably as quick as she wants it. She's progressive and will stay further."

Take Shelter was expected to step up on her close second at Newmarket's Craven meeting but was always just being held in the juvenile sprint by Daddies Girl, who had been strongly fancied at Windsor last week.

"But she got caught in a pocket and couldn't get out in time," explained trainer Rod Millman. "She had no sort of race and so we decided to come here. She was only bought for £5,000 guineas, she's sharp and will be better over six."

Sir Michael Stoute sent two runners to Salisbury and both won for Ryan Moore. ]Adamant was being pushed along four out but bravely stuck to his task in the 10 furlong handicap to thwart the persistent challenge of Elas Ruby, but Aristocratic comfortably landed the seven furlong handicap.

And Almanack made it a good afternoon for favourite backers by running away with the amateur riders race.