Teenager Tom Madden partnered his tenth career winner as Mahrajaan got up close home in a thrilling finish to the Charles Hurst Premium Apprentice Handicap at Down Royal.

The son of Machiavellian won a Warwick maiden as a three-year-old for John Gosden and, despite five wins over jumps in the interim, was bridging an eight year gap without success on the flat. Gaelic Twist was prominent throughout and looked set to score a furlong out but could find no extra in the closing stages as the Charles Byrnes-trained Mahrajaan got up to score by half a length. Abrahams Blessing came home best of all to be just a short-head further adrift in third.

Madden said, “He just keeps going. He’s an eleven-year-old and is nearly as old as me. He’s a dude of a horse, and loves to go through tight gaps. I love to ride him.”

(MG & AM)