Christmas looked a gift for punters in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Roscommon and so it proved as the son of Galileo justified prohibitive odds.

The well-backed 4/11 favourite, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by his son Donnacha, made all in this seven-furlong event and was just pushed out inside the final furlong to record a comfortable victory.

The winning margin was three and a half lengths over Mofakker with Always Ruuning a further two and three quarter lengths adrift in third.

Donnacha O’Brien said, “He had a good run the last day and is learning the whole time. I think he’s a good horse.

“He had the experience and around Gowran helped him at a track like this with some sharp right-handed bends. I like his attitude, so hopefully he’s a horse that will keep improving. He stays well.”