Bhutan moves clear in Leopardstown© Photo Healy Racing
Aidan O'Brien's second-string Bhutan led home a stable one-two with an impressive debut performance in the mile and a quarter maiden for three-year-olds at Leopardstown.
The 14/1 shot raced in fifth under Donnacha O'Brien on the approach to the straight. He made stealthy headway on the outer to move into third with a quarter of a mile left.
The grey colt was soon ridden and progressed to lead narrowly over a furlong out. Stablemate Housesofparliament threw down his challenge on the inside but Bhutan picked up really well in the final 150 yards to draw clear and win by three lengths.
Runner-up Houseofparliament, with Ryan Moore in the saddle, was returned the 2/1 joint favourite. Mighty Legend (5/1)was a further three and a half lengths back in third.
Aidan O'Brien said: "He's been sleeping at home obviously. I liked him as a two-year-old but as we got close to running him he was getting lazier and lazier and we didn't get to run.
“In his last few bits of work he's been going nice and respectably. He's a good-looking horse and a well-bred horse.
“He'll run in one of the trial races next and we'll see. He could make a lot of progress.
“Ryan liked the second horse.”
Donnacha O'Brien added: "We just wanted him to learn a bit today. There was plenty of horse there when I gave him a squeeze and he impressed me.
"The second horse (Housesofparliament) was the first string. We thought he would be hard to beat today but my lad was professional enough first-time out. He's a nice horse."
When asked if he could run in a Derby trial he replied: "He's after winning a maiden impressively. He handled the ground and I don't see why he couldn't run in one whether or not he would be first string. He's entitled to run in something like that."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
