Ebadani an easy winner for Halford & Hoban

With the defection of Laviniad due to a stone bruise Ebadani went off the 1/3 favourite for the opener at Killarney, the Aherns BMW Castleisland Maiden, and the Mick Halford trained four-year-old duly obliged under Conor Hoban.

The son of Halling had proved hard to win with before today, finishing second six times previously.

Owned by the Force Eight Syndicate he soon led and he had all his rivals off the bridle as they turned into the straight.

He was ridden just under two furlongs out and he soon extended his advantage, going on to score easily by six lengths. Tobair An Sheeda finished second at 8/1 under Seamie Heffernan for Ken Condon while Aroy was a further three and a quarter lengths back in third under Leigh Roche for Darren Bunyan at 50/1.

Mick Halford was represented by Garrett Cotter afterwards and he said: "With the other horse coming out (Laviniad) he was entitled to do that on his rating.

"He has been called a few names in the past but I don’t think he has deserved it. He has ran into a few good horses and hopefully he can go on from here and win a handicap."

The winner is a half-brother to Ebadiyan who won four times for Oliver Brady, with his biggest success coming in a Grade Three over flights at Punchestown in 2009.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee