CZABO ran down favourite Somehow in the final furlong to take Group 3 honours in the Lodge Park Stud EBF Park Express Stakes at Naas.

Fourth in last season's Irish 1000 Guineas, the Mick Channon-trained filly showed she had benefited from a race at Saint-Cloud two weeks ago when sticking to her task in good style. Graham Lee timed his challenge to perfection as Czabo (8/1) defeated the Aidan O'Brien-trained 7/4 favourite by half a length. Flying Fairies was third.

The trainer's son, Michael Channon junior, said: "We took her to Saint-Cloud a few weeks ago, but she was too free for the first half a mile and it was a complete wasted effort. But I just spoke to David Wachman (part-owner) and he said it was a great prep run taking her all the way to Paris.

"She's done it very nicely, and we had fitness on our side and that helped. We have a fairly moderate band of broodmares but he (Sixties Icon, sire) has improved them all.

"We wanted to get her going early as she had that Esher Cup form early last year in soft ground and ran well in the Guineas."

Former Grand National-winning jockey Lee recalled it was 25 years since he had his first ride at Naas. He said: "I knew I had my first ride here. I checked and it was January 25, 1992 - 25 years ago. The ground is very holding but she's got big old feet and she coped with it well."

IRISH LINCOLNSHIRE

Brendan Brackan made a triumphant comeback after 162 days off the track to lift the Tote Irish Lincolnshire.

The eight-year-old was the bigger price of the two Ger Lyons-trained runners, but the eight-year-old made light of the steadier of 9st 12lb to oblige at odds of 16/1 with his better-backed stable companion Sea Wolf, a 5/1 shot, in third.

Tribal Path led into the straight, but Gary Carroll had Brendan Brackan well-placed towards the far rail before going on inside the final furlong to beat Aussie Valentine by a length and a half. Sea Wolf was half a length back, while Tribal Path stuck on for fourth place, a further two and a quarter lengths away.

Lyons, who was completing a double after the success of Gymkhana earlier on the card, said: "To be honest we fancied Sea Wolf more, but you can't beat class. He's been an absolute legend for the yard, and hopefully he can win another stakes race this year.

"I'm delighted for Gary as well, as he's a big part of the team. He got a lovely split on the inner and he just took off.

"I have 90 boxes and they are all full. Whether or not they will be full in June is another matter as I'm more about quality than quantity. I have been in awe of Gordon Elliott and what he's been doing all winter, and the one thing I have learned from him is to run them."

SPEED

Gymkhana found a decisive burst of speed to make a winning first start since joining trainer Ger Lyons when taking the Naas Racecourse Launches The 2017 Flat Season Handicap.

Bought for 21,000 guineas at Tattersalls Autumn Sales out of David Smaga's French stable, the Equiano colt stamped his authority on the six-furlong contest with a great flourish in the final furlong. Ridden out by Colin Keane, Gymkhana had two and a quarter lengths to spare over Athas An Bhean with top-weight Maarek staying on for third place and the winner's stablemate, Imagine If, fourth.

Lyons said of his 12/1 scorer: "He's been very straightforward and I felt if it was seven furlongs I would have fancied him to be in the money. I was learning as much about him as everyone else today.

"That was a nice performance and he has plenty of toe, but you would like to think that he will get further. It's a nice way to start the season and the three-year-old (Imagine If) ran a cracker. I'm delighted to have new owners in the yard and to train a winner for them."

DOUBLE FOR O'BRIENS

Alphabet opened her account in impressive fashion when having her first start for Aidan O'Brien in the Weatherbys GSB Goes Online Maiden.

Having shown bits of form in three starts for the now-retired David Wachman last term, the daughter of Lawman turned this six-furlong heat into a procession. Leading virtually from the start, the 7/1 chance drew away from her 19 rivals in the final furlong in the hands of O'Brien's daughter, Ana.

Ma Fee Heela was sent off the 7/4 favourite to make a successful debut but had to settle for second place, some five and a half lengths behind the easy winner. Jet Streaming shaped well on her first run in third place for Adrian Keatley.

The winning trainer said: "David liked her last year, but his horses were sick. He thought she was quick, and she seems to handle any ground. She jumped and travelled very strongly. We have about seven horses that David trained last year, and they are ones he thought were above maiden class."

Ana and Aiden O'Brien also took the last race when scoring a runaway success with Orderofthegarter (11/4) in the mile maiden.

TWO-YEAR-OLD

Moonlight Bay produced a decisive turn of foot to win the opening race of the Irish flat season for veteran trainer Kevin Prendergast. The daughter of Pivotal was produced late by jockey Chris Hayes to collar the well-backed Royal Diplomat in the closing stages of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Royal Diplomat was always prominent and led inside the final furlong but the 6/4 favourite had no answer to the late surge of Moonlight Bay (4-1), who powered away to score by two and a half lengths.

Prendergast said: "She probably handled the ground better than most of them. She was bred at Lumville Stud, which is one of Sheikh Hamdan's studs in Co. Offaly, and they run a good outfit there. Hopefully she goes on from this."

READ THE FULL NAAS REPORT IN NEXT WEEK'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD