Arranmore was rewarded for two promising runner-up efforts when making it third time lucky at Cork today as the Jim Bolger trained, Kevin Manning partnered colt landed the opening Matchbook Irish EBF Maiden.

The son of Oasis Dream bumped into smart prospect Armory on debut at the Curragh on June before again finding Vitalogy too strong at Naas in July. Today Arranmore raced prominently throughout and in the end passed the line a head in front of runner-up Reducta

Afterwards Bolger's travelling head man Ger Flynn reported “Kevin said it was a messy race and they split into two. There was no pace on his side and the horse on his outside brought him over. There was nothing to bring him along quick enough but he is a nice horse and is a lovely one for the future.

“I'm sure the boss, China Horse Club and John O'Connor will find something for him now and will step him up. He deserved that and now we can go for black-type. He is a beautiful horse to deal with, has a great attitude and is very relaxed.”