Indian Maharaja and Joseph O'Brien© Photo Healy Racing
Aidan O'Brien introduced a potentially smart juvenile when the regally bred Indian Maharaja powered away with the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Gowran Park.
A son of Galileo out of the Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Again, the youngster was sent off the 4-5 favourite and was never far off the pace in the hands of the trainer's son Joseph.
He took it up coming off the bend into the straight and surged clear from the two-furlong pole to beat another newcomer, Urban Moon by six and a half lengths to pick up 25-1 quotes for next year's 2000 Guineas and Derby.
Indian Maharaja broke loose after the race and collided with a plastic railing, but he emerged unscathed and the Ballydoyle team were left to celebrate a double initiated by One True Love in the Centenary Year 2014 Maiden.
Second four times this season, the 11-4 chance carried her head awkwardly through the closing stages and her young rider lost his whip, but she still found enough to keep favourite Harpist at bay and score by a neck from a wide draw.
The biggest prize of the evening was for the Gowran Gathering Wednesday August 14th Handicap and it went to the Charles O'Brien-trained Edith Cowan making up for a luckless run when third last time.
Held up by Fran Berry, the filly (7-2) looked to have a bit on her plate when Brog Deas held the advantage a furlong out, but she knuckled down to the task and collared him close home to win by a head.
It took 24 races before Jumbo Steps got his head in front last month but the 11-2 shot, now with Johnny Levins, followed up by toughing it out for a half-length score in the BBQ Evening Wednesday August 14th Handicap under Gary Carroll.
The Visit Our New Website www.gowranpark.ie Apprentice Handicap went to Ross Coakley on Ken Condon's 10-1 chance Roja Dove who grabbed Orion's Might on the line for a head verdict.
