Century denies the well-backed Marakoush

Century made a winning debut in the opener at the Curragh this afternoon, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2yo Maiden, scoring for the father and son team of Aidan and Joseph O’Brien.

The bay son of Montjeu was 7/2 this morning with Paddy Power, but he opened on-course at 5/2, before going off an 11/4 chance.

Held up towards the rear in the early stages, he was pushed along and made progress in eighth from two furlongs out.

He was ridden to challenge a furlong from home, soon hitting the front, going on from there to score by a length and a half.

All the money came for the John Oxx trained newcomer Marakoush and after opening at 3/1 this morning with Paddy Power, he went from 11/4 to clear 15/8 favouritism on-course.

He hit the front two furlongs out but he had no answer when headed by the winner inside the final furlong, and he had to settle for second, while Prince Of All ran a cracker to finish two and a half lengths back in third under Fergal Lynch for Paul Deegan at 25/1.

Aidan O’Brien said afterwards: "He was very slow coming out and I thought he couldn’t win from there.

"He was very green, he had to come through horses and he will have learned a lot from that.

"He was just ready to start. We will see how he comes out of this and it is possible he could run again this year."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee