Donnacha has high hopes for debut winner Piz Badile

There was a cracking finish to the first race of the July meeting at Killarney, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, with Piz Badile (3/1) just coming out on top under Gavin Ryan.

The newcomer, owned by Flaxman Stables Ireland, raced prominently and led travelling well early in the straight. He looked in big trouble when headed by Karakoul (11/2) over a furlong out, but showed a good attitude to battle back and regain the lead close home.

A neck was the margin of victory with the first two nicely clear.

The winner was getting freshman sire Ulysses off the mark as a stallion and holds an entry in the National Stakes at the Curragh.

Winning trainer Donnacha O’Brien remarked: "We always thought he was one of our best ones, he's a beautiful big horse and did well to win as he was green and raw and was against a few rivals with experience.

“Hopefully he is a smart horse for the future.

"He is massive and wouldn't have run this year only he was working that well.

“Whatever he does this year is going to be a bonus and will be a real horse next year. It's all 10 furlong type of pedigree - Ulysses won the Juddmonte and the mare was ten furlongs. That's what he'll probably end up getting.

"He is the only Ulysses horse I have and I think he is smart anyway."

Quotes from Thomas Weekes