Big Call (13/2 into 9/2 on course) powered home from well off the pace to land the Follow Limerick Racecourse On Twitter Maiden on his debut.

He hit the front inside the furlong marker and went away to beat the 11/8 favourite Hong Kong by three lengths, with Soul Seeker (5/1) another head away in third place.

Joseph O’Brien’s winner, by Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom and boasting an all-American pedigree, allayed any concerns that he might not appreciate the prevailing heavy ground.

"He was very impressive and we thought he might like the ground, said winning rider Shane Crosse.

"I settled him from a bad draw and you'd have to be impressed with the turn of foot he showed.

"He has a good brain and I can't see why he can't go for another one before the end of the year but if Joseph put him away and looked after him he could be one to look forward to for sure."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes