PAUL Deegan could hardly have hoped for a better start to the new season as he supplied the one-two in the Tote Irish Lincolnshire where a resurgent Sruthan simply outclassed his rivals.

Formerly a dual Group 3 winner, this six-year-old was rated 111 at this time last year but he had slipped down the weights to a mark of 98 and Deegan’s decision to switch to handicaps for the first time was an inspired one.

Almost two years after his last success, the Robert Ng-owned Sruthan was travelling especially well for Chris Hayes from some way out and the race was over once the 12/1 chance struck for home nearing the last furlong.

Sruthan wasted no time building up a commanding advantage and he finished four and a quarter lengths ahead of stablemate Aussie Valentine who also filled the runner-up spot in this race last year. The English raider Gabrial’s Kaka secured third while last year’s winner, Onenightidreamed, was seventh.

“It means a lot to win it again,” said Deegan who won the race with Big Robert six years ago. “He just got a chance with his mark. Last season our horses weren’t firing at the backend and he’d a couple of problems too but he is a proper Group 3 horse. Chris said he felt like his old self there.

“Chris probably felt he was on the wrong one but I insisted he ride this horse. We’ll see what the handicapper does after this but the first two like this ground and could campaign away in the early part of the season and then we’ll see.”

Irish Oaks entrant Queen Blossom got her campaign off to a flying start by landing the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud EBF Express Stakes for Patrick Prendergast and Fran Berry. A winner on her debut last September before running with credit at listed level on her only other start, the Sean Greaney-owned filly coped well with the slow ground and made the most of her significant weight for age allowance. Berry exuded the utmost confidence in the daughter of Jeremy.

The 16/1 chance still had the entire field to pass passing halfway but she soon eased into contention. As the leaders neared the final furlong, it appeared as though the favourite Devonshire was in control. However, that filly simply couldn’t withstand Queen Blossom’s late charge which saw her prevail by a length. On her first start since last year’s Irish 1000 Guineas Joaillere took third, a further three lengths back.

“She’s very honest and she grew a lot over the winter and she’s been working very well,” said Prendergast who was sending out his third winner at pattern level. “She stays well and I know the mile was a bit sharp for her but it’s a hard mile on that ground. She’s very light on her feet so better ground will fine and she’ll probably go 10 furlongs next time. It’s only her third run so she should improve.”

LIVELY WINNER

Chris Hayes was also on board Awtaad who shrugged aside the burden of top weight in some style in the Plusvital Madrid Handicap. The Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt came into this looking like one that had live pretensions of holding his own at a higher level and he won like it.

Awtaad (5/1) eased to the front well over a furlong from home and he sauntered clear of his rivals to score by five lengths. The manner of this victory, which was achieved off a mark of 95, bodes well for his prospects in better company.

“He’s a very nice horse. He was a bit backward last year but he’s made good progress over the winter. He’s a big, strong horse who will be better on better ground,” commented Kevin Prendergast. “He’s in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the way he won there he may not need another run although there is a Guineas Trial in a few weeks that we could look at.”

Darren Bunyan’s Mister Trader became the longest priced winner of the Tally-Ho Stud EBF Maiden for 43 years with a professional display. The Leigh Roche-ridden colt showed plenty of dash to get to the front in the relatively early stages of the race and, in truth, none of his rivals could land a telling blow in the first two-year-old race of the year.

Mister Trader asserted nearing the furlong marker and he maintained an unfaltering tempo to prevail by four and a quarter lengths from the always prominent Comhghairdeas. The winner is owned by the 10-man Straight To Victory Syndicate.

“He’s been doing everything right at home and he’s a very solid and straight forward little two-year-old, he’s only been on grass once and hasn’t been away anywhere,” stated Bunyan who has 12 juveniles under his care. “I thought that he’d improve a good bit for this. There’s a winners’ race in Navan that I was thinking of for him and then there’s the Marble Hill as well.”

STANDARD BEARER

Bubbly Bellini (13/2), has been such a terrific standard bearer for Adrian McGuinness over the last five seasons, made it back to back wins in the six furlongs handicap. The nine-year-old was just a pound higher in the weights than he was 12 months ago and he came here fit and well following a couple of recent outings at Dundalk.

Declan McDonogh’s mount denied Club Wexford by a neck with Rattling Jewel just a head back in third. The winner was making it 17 wins from 105 career outings.

“This was the plan and we’ll tip away while there’s a dig in the ground,” reported the trainer whose wife Hazel owns the winner with Gary Devlin. “Declan felt he wasn’t in love with the tacky ground. He’ll keep going in handicaps and rated races.”

The Irish 2000 Guineas entrant Stenographer (3/1) made a bright start to his career in the Elusive Pimpernel Maiden over six furlongs. This Godolphin-owned son of Distorted Humour looked held in third as Paddy Power and Sufoof did battle up front nearing the final furlong. However, Stenographer stuck to his task splendidly for Kevin Manning and his renewed effort carried him past the leading pair late on.

“He’s a nice horse, he could have a future,” declared Bolger. “It looked there like he’d get further but he could sharpen up for that. A Guineas Trial would look the obvious place to go. I’d say he’ll go on any ground.”

The card concluded with a smart display from Dermot Weld’s Embiran (11/4) in what looked an interesting edition of the Irish Stallion Farms Maiden over a mile. The Aga Khan-owned son of Shamardal was produced with his effort a furlong from home and he soon mastered the 102-rated Stellar Mass to win by a length and a quarter.

“He’s a nice horse who had the form and he did what we expected. He’s got plenty of pace so we could drop him back in trip by a furlong and go for the Tetrarch Stakes next,” remarked Weld.

Acting Stewards

N.B. Wachman, J.F. Gillespie, Ms. M. Cosgrave, C.P. Magnier, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI (A.P. O’Brien): This Galileo colt came home well to secure fourth in the maiden won by Embiran. He finished out his race in pleasing style and he could take beating over the coming weeks.

Ashraf coughing

ASHRAF, who finished last when favourite for the Lincoln, was found to be blowing hard post race and to have given a cough. Pat Smullen also reported that he never travelled.

Ballydoyle horses

AIR Force Blue and Minding, the two leading lights of Aidan O’Brien’s juvenile string in 2015, are firmly on course for the English 2000 and 1000 Guineas respectively after a post-racing workout at the Curragh on Sunday.