John Oxx is a long way off his career best 99 winners in an Irish Flat season but Sea The Stars' trainer has returned to form in recent weeks and landed the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden at The Curragh today with the Aga Khan owned newcomer Ebanoran

The event was confined to newcomers and while a gamble on Ballydoyle's Tigris River went badly 'down-stream', the winner was a well supported 7/2 chance, staying on well under Declan McDonogh for a head win over Table Rock

The win was Oxx's 18th of the season and he later said “he's a nice horse and is well bred being by Oasis Dream out of Ebadiyla. It's a mix of a pedigree, being by a sprinter out of a stayer. It's difficult to know what distance he'll want next year but he seems to have the gears that he (owner/breeder) were trying to put in the pedigree.

“It was a slow pace and he quickened up well and pulled out plenty. It looked like he was going to win a couple of lengths but Declan said he was just idling a bit and he kept pulling out when the other horse challenged him.

“There is not really time to run him again. The Killavullan Stakes comes a bit quick so we'll leave him off but he'll be a nice horse for next year. We'll start him off in a Guineas trial early next year and see where he goes from there.”

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson