Earlswood makes winning start for Murtagh

Earlswood had Johnny Murtagh eyeing bigger things after delivering in the mile maiden for colts and geldings in Navan.

The three-year-old Pivotal colt was making his first start for the trainer having been with John Oxx last season until his retirement.

He battled well to overcome Too Nice with 100 yards to go and kept up the gallop under Ben Coen to win by two and a quarter lengths at 15/8.

Too Nice (25/1) couldn't answer the call once passed but clung on to second by a head from Lakomet Of Saints (22/1).

HMS Seahorse went off the 4/5 favourite on the back of a fourth place in a juvenile maiden at Leopardstown last July which is working out very well. He was in contention racing to the final furlong but couldn't pick up and came in fourth.

Johnny Murtagh said: “He’s a nice horse going forward and should improve from the run today.

“He’s crying out for a mile and a quarter and he should stay a mile and a half.

“Mr Oxx had him entered in the Derby. He’s a long way to go to get there but maidens at this time of the year are hard to win and what I loved about him today was his temperament.

“He came up the hill really well. Ben said he handled the ground well but I think he’d like better ground as well.

“I’ll speak to the owner tonight and he’ll probably go for a Derby trial.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee