Dubai not so Great as Ricci gets off the mark

Sebastiano Ricci got off the mark on his sixth career start, as he took the opener at Roscommon, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Newcomer Dubai Is Great was the only one punters wanted to know about in this seven furlong contest. The Jim Bolger trained bay was available at 3/1 last night, opening on-course at 4/6, before going off at 1/3.

Settled in rear by Kevin Manning, the market leader was pushed along from early in the straight, and was a spent force with well over a furlong left to race.

The Joseph O'Brien trained victor (who drifted from 2s to 3s on-course) raced in third, and got to the front a furlong and a half from home, keeping on well from there to score by three and a quarter lengths. Clueless Hill finished second under Rory Cleary for Luke Comer at 12/1, while Dubai Is Great was nine and a half lengths away in third.

Donnacha O'Brien said afterwards: "He handled that ground well and that's what he wants. He was a bit keen early but did the job well."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee