Jim Bolger's impeccably-bred Goldrush made a sparkling start to her career with victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Navan on Saturday.

By Frankel and out of Bolger's former brilliant racemare Alexander Goldrun, it is no surprise that the China Horse Club had to fork out €1.7m for her at the Goffs Orby Sale, although she has had to wait until the September of her three-year-old season for her first taste of competitive action.

Kevin Manning was never too far from the pace on the 6/1 shot and when she hit the front two furlongs out, she soon shrugged aside odds-on favourite Frima before coming home three lengths clear of Wooster.

Bolger said: "It's always nice to win with a filly as well bred as she is. She has been working well but we've had a few little hiccups along the way. She was a bit weak last year so we didn't run her, and a few times we had her ready to run this year and she had small little problems, nothing serious.

"She was declared to run a few times and she got rained off one day. She doesn't want soft ground but she handled that well today so she might handle a little ease in it. Hopefully she will go on now and be a stakes filly."

PREMIER NURSERY

Blue Uluru showed a smart change of gear to justify 2/1 favouritism in Navan's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Premier Nursery Handicap.

Having made a successful beginning to her career at Fairyhouse, Ger Lyons' filly then came up short in a competitive race at the Curragh.

That didn't stop the money coming for her here and after quickening to the front approaching the furlong pole, she kept going under Colin Keane to account for Red Persian by a length and three-quarters.

Lyons said: "She did what we thought she would do and is a filly that we like. One of the owners, Amy Vaughan King, flew in from Texas for the day to see her run at the Curragh the last day. The ground was wrong but we let her run.

"On another day we probably would have withdrawn her but she learned plenty from it and got her mark. The other owner is Nicky Varney, who is based in New York.

"The aim is to go blacktype as she is owner-bred but she just has to learn to switch off a tad more. She is just too honest.

"Hopefully she will be a lovely filly next year. She will probably go for the Blenheim Stakes."

Intelligence Cross registered a belated first success of the campaign in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race.

Aidan O'Brien's son of War Front won a Group 3 as a juvenile and finished second in a couple of Group 2s, but has bumped into the very best sprinters this term.

The pick of his efforts was probably his fifth in the July Cup, beaten just over two lengths by the winner Harry Angel, and he was sent off the 8/13 favourite to capitalise on having his sights lowered.

Donnacha O'Brien tracked the pacesetting Flower Of May until unleashing Intelligence Cross a furlong and a half from the finish, and victory never looked in doubt from that point.

He careered two and three-quarter lengths clear of Mr Scarlet, and the winning jockey said: "He's a group-class sprinter and, in a lower grade today, he was able to show his class. That win will do him a world of good confidence-wise."

EMPHATIC

Powersville maintained her progression with an emphatic victory in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden.

After failing to beat a single rival home on her Gowran Park Introduction, Tom Mullins' filly has performed with credit in a couple of Curragh maidens, most recently when making the frame.

Niall McCullagh sent the 4/1 chance after leader Stewardess a furlong home, taking it up not long after, and Powersville ran right the way to the line to score by a length and a quarter.

Sunday Smart headed the market on the back of a good debut fourth but didn't go in the stalls.

"She has learned as she went along in her races. I'll try to get some black type with her and could look at the Blenheim Stakes. She only cost €2,500 so she owes us nothing now," said Mullins.

High Expectations looked likely to continue his winning spree when shooting clear two furlongs out in the Like Navan On Facebook Handicap, but he was worn down by top-weight Lucca (7/1), who nailed him on the line.

READ THE FULL NAVAN REPORT IN NEXT WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD