AIDAN O’Brien may well have used Tipperary’s opening fixture of the season to take the wraps off a juvenile of some substance in The Antarctic who landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

This own-brother to the top sprinter Battaash was sent off a 6/4 chance to get the better of his five rivals, who were headed by Wodao.

The latter set a decent standard having run fifth in a smart-looking Curragh maiden on his debut earlier this month and he gave the favourite plenty to think about.

The Antarctic loomed up for Ryan Moore to press for the lead a quarter of a mile out but it was only nearing the line that his aforementioned rival gave best to lose out by half a length.

“He is a very fast horse so we were a little worried about the soft ground first time out but you’d be very happy with him and he will definitely have another run before Royal Ascot. He always looked a horse who would be more comfortable at five rather than six furlongs,” O’Brien said.

Likeable Concertata

Joe Murphy got off the mark for the season courtesy of Messa Concertata in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. This Ardad filly, who carries the colours of Bridget Dillon, had run with promise on all four of her outings as a juvenile and went off a 7/2 chance to bring up a double for breeders Paul and Marie McCartan who were also responsible for The Antarctic.

Messa Concertata showed a very likeable attitude under Gary Carroll as she first subdued Laakhof and then went to the line in willing fashion to hold a slew of late challengers headed by Tiny Bit. The winner will now move into handicaps.

Progressive Hymn

Hymn Book Two, who numbers Dawn Approach amongst her siblings, claimed a precious winning bracket in the maiden over an extended mile and a half where she followed up the promise of her good third to Above The Curve at Leopardstown at the start of the month.

Jim Bolger’s experienced daughter of Teofilo, who is owned by his wife Jackie, led the field into the straight for Kevin Manning and she kept going well to hold off the steady effort of Artistic Choice by half a length.

The victorious 10/1 chance could easily progress again in the coming weeks.

LOCALLY based trainer Eamonn O’Connell got amongst the winners as the diminutive but useful Shelly Banks (12/1) progressed from a respectable comeback at the Curragh recently to win a well-contested five-furlong handicap.

Also successful in a €40,000 pot at the Curragh last June, Shelley Banks was always nicely placed in behind the leading pair on the far side of the track and she picked off the English import Blind Beggar inside the last furlong to win nicely.

At the line the Niall Frawley-owned filly had a length and a quarter to spare. Interestingly this was the quickest of the three five-furlong races on the card.

Darkened strongest

The vastly experienced Darkened (5/1), who last win came over hurdles at Kilbeggan in August, claimed the first division of the nine-furlong 47-65 rated handicap for Denis Hogan and Daniel King. Victory could have gone any one of five ways at the furlong pole but the Justin Carthy-owned Darkened was strongest of all in the closing stages as he edged out Draco Pulchrac by half a length.

Matilda again

Colin Keane secured the other division of that handicap on Rodger Sweeney’s Matilda With Me. A string of good efforts since the start of the year saw the Thomas Murphy-owned five-year-old returned the 3/1 favourite and she found plenty for pressure over the last furlong to edge out Carirose by a head.

Lincoln hero Raadobarg looks ready for step up

AN interesting evening’s racing concluded with a smart conditions race over an extended seven furlongs where last month’s Lincoln winner Raadobarg made it two wins from as many starts in Ireland.

The Johnny Murtagh-trained and Amo Racing-owned 5/6 favourite was nicely placed for Ben Coen turning in and he picked off his pace setting stablemate Baradar before going on to defeat Lust by a length and a quarter.

“He travelled around nicely, quickened up well and probably doesn’t kill himself when he gets to the front. I think he will be better again when he gets into a better race,” surmised the winning jockey.

Lamprog edges it

BEN Coen was earlier successful aboard the Ray Cody-trained Lamprog in the nine-furlong 47-65 rated handicap. This Footstepsinthesand filly, who is owned by the trainer’s wife Gillian, was just 3lb higher in the weights for a narrow success at Gowran Park recently and this win was achieved by an even narrower margin.

After taking over in front from the gambled on Adhuil early in the straight, Lamprog (5/1) was strongly pressed by Inchiquin Star but she raised another effort as the line loomed to score by a head.