In first-time blinkers favourite Alex D just hung on to claim the Follow Limerick Racecourse On Twitter Maiden for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane.

Keane is now back one ahead of Shane Foley (77/76) in the battle to be champion jockey, after getting the David Spratt, Sean Jones and Lynne Lyons-owned juvenile home in front by a short head.

Alex D travelled well to the front under two furlongs out, but the heavy terrain isn’t easy to chart a passage through, and Denis Hogan’s Uno Miligre (22s into 10s), finished off well for the silver medal, nearly catching the 6/4 victor.

After his opening winner with Improving Haigney ran well for Austin Leahy, a length and a half back in third. Benaud (14/1 into 9/2) was a further short head behind in fourth.

"It is job done as he picked up a Tattersalls Book One bonus for winning today,” said Shane Lyons.

"We probably started him off sooner than we should have as he is very immature and we gelded him.

"He has a high rating for obvious reasons and got very lonely out there in front on testing ground today. It is not nice ground.

"He was the best horse in the race and we said we'd treat him like the best horse in the race and he kept it simple from a wide draw.

"He was gassy after his run the last day and has come on from that. That could be it for the year because that will take it out of him and the spring won't be long coming around either."

S.M. Crosse, rider of Benaud trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount was very slowly away.

At the request of the Stewards, J.M. Sheridan, rider of Uno Miligre (GB), trained by Denis Gerard Hogan, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount ran around a lot in the straight.

(TW & EM)