LAST weekend there was flat action on the turf at Naas, and a workmanlike performance from an Aidan O’Brien youngster might have been more promising than the bare form suggests, writes Page Fuller.

Coolmore forked out a whopping €1 million to secure Accredited at the Arqana Breeze-Up sales last May. For that reason, some may say he was a disappointing beaten favourite on debut, but his win last Saturday highlighted why he was never going to be seen to best effect over seven furlongs at Dundalk.

The ground was probably closer to heavy than soft at Naas, with the average RaceiQ Time Index across the meeting coming in as 3.1. This put the emphasis on stamina and was the key to Accredited’s victory in the seven-furlong maiden.

He is still a big, green, specimen, with both his average stride length of 6.8m and peak of 7.3m easily the largest of the field. He was slowly away, taking nearly three seconds to leave the stalls, and Ryan Moore had to work hard to keep him in contention for the majority of the race.

He never really travelled, and Ryan was niggling away at him from pillar to post. As the race developed, he finally managed to find his stride and by the line he was motoring.

He was the only horse to hit a Top Speed faster than 37mph (37.38mph) and completed the final furlong in 14.01 seconds, the fastest of any winner on the day. Winning over seven furlongs is surely only a bonus. I expect over the marathon distances, this three-year-old will shine.