Waikuku is pushed out by Colm O'Donoghue to beat National Glory© Photo Healy Racing
John Oxx saddled his fourth winner in the space of five days, as his Waikuku justified favouritism in the Paul Young Maiden.
Having recorded a double at Killarney on Sunday, the winning handler was also on the mark with Night Of Power at Fairyhouse yesterday evening.
Briefly available at 4/1 in early shows, the son of Harbour Watch opened on-course at evens, before going off the 11/10 favourite in the colours of owner Thomas Breen.
A good fifth on debut at the Curragh last August, he raced in second this evening under Colm O'Donoghue.
He was pushed along to challenge the front-running National Glory from the two furlong pole, and was ridden inside the final furlong, keeping on best in the final 100 yards, going on to score by a length and a half.
The aforementioned National Glory (6/4 from 15/8) had to settle for second under Donnacha O'Brien for his brother Joseph, while Singing'n'dancing (11/1) was another seven lengths back in third.
"He ran well. He was just a bit rusty and Colm gave him plenty of time to warm up in the straight," said Oxx.
"He'd like a mile, I'd say, and he's a horse that could be effective from seven to nine furlongs, maybe a bit further but a mile would be nice for him.
"He just gave him the one crack and he ran to the line very well. He (O'Donoghue) said the ground felt slow on him and he wants really fast ground. I would have said that's fast enough for most horses but he said it felt almost a little slow for him. He'd have preferred faster ground that he'd really rattle off.
"That could be because he's a bit rusty and he could get a different feel the next day.
"He's the best horse I've had for a few years now, that mightn't be saying a lot because I haven't had too many good ones for a while, but he's a good horse this fella.
"You only have to look up his form from last year. He's a lovely looking, beautiful horse, very sound and we've had to wait a while just to have him here.
"We're delighted with him. We'll have to step him up a bit now obviously.
"The Platinum Stakes in Cork might be a big jump from a maiden but there might not be a little graduation race we could run in instead at the right distance so we may have to go into something good straightaway.
"This is Tommy Breen's first horse with me and he's lucky to have a good one to begin with."
On his current good run Oxx added: "All good runs come to and end. You can't keep winning all the time as even Aidan O'Brien knows. We don't have too many three-year-olds capable of winning but we're doing okay at the moment."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
