Coill Avon benefits from experience

Ger Lyons' Coill Avon got off the mark at the time time of asking in the opening six furlong juvenile maiden for colts and geldings at the Curragh.

Colin Keane 's mount was quickly into stride from stall nine, and raced at the head of affairs with Fine Distraction before gaining a narrow lead coming to halfway.

The Kingman colt travelled powerfully as Fine Distraction came off the bridle approaching the final quarter of a mile.

Newcomer I Am Magnetic picked up the chase at the two marker, but Coill Avon was given the office racing to the final furlong.

The 6/4 favourite St Mark's Basilica got going in third inside the final furlong and came through in second with 100 yards to go. Coill Avon had flown, though, and closed it out by two and a quarter lengths at 11/4.

St Mark's Basilica showed plenty of promise in second, and came in three and a half lengths in front of I Am Magnetic (13/2) whose effort petered out in the final furlong after showing good speed.

Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: “He's done it nicely and he's after stepping up from his run in Navan (when second).

“He did it all wrong in Navan and is very immature. He was fly-leaping and leaning off the rail but in fairness to him he had to do it the hard way there.

“That has stood to him today and he appreciated that ground. We've always liked him and when the penny drops mentally he will be a nice horse.

“We've always thought he was a stakes horse and being by Kingman you don't know how high he can go.

“He's done what we thought he should have done a bit earlier. We'll give him plenty of time and he'll be a nice horse.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson