Munaashid gets off the mark

Munaashid justified favouritism in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, scoring under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld.

A close-up sixth on his debut at the Curragh last September, the American bred colt then finished third to subsequent Epsom Derby third Idaho in another maiden at the Curragh in October.

Available at 7/4 last night, the Hamdan Al Maktoum owned colt eventually went off the even money favourite.

Settled behind the leaders in third, he was pushed along to challenge on the outer from two furlongs out. He was ridden to the front over a furlong from home, keeping on well from there to score by two and a half lengths. Benny Paret (7/2 this morning and from 9/4 to 15/8 on-course) finished second under Colin Keane for Ger Lyons, while Motherland (5/1) was half a length back in third under Donnacha O'Brien for his brother Joseph.

Pat Smullen said afterwards: "He is a nice type of horse and got a lovely tow into the race and quickened up nicely.

"Hopefully he'll progress from that."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes