Ebazan scores under Colm O'Donoghue© Photo Healy Racing
Ebazan stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to land the concluding Unaccompanied Maiden at the Curragh. Ansgar made a bold bid from the front in the ten furlong contest but didn't help Declan McDonogh by hanging left under pressure in the closing stages.
Colm O'Donoghue drove Ebazan into the lead inside the final furlong to record a length-and-a-half success.
The well-backed 11/4 favourite (from 7/2) was having his first start since being turned over at odds-on on heavy ground here in July.
The Aga Khan colt had only lost out to stable-mate Aklan on his debut here in April and that rival has since went on to record a listed success.
It was O'Donoghue's first winner for Oxx and his first ride for the Aga Khan:- "It's a very proud moment," said the rider afterwards.
Oxx was glad to get the winner back on track after a promising start to his career:-
"He ran well first time although that was a long time ago, back in April. It wasn't so good next time.
"The blinkers were important today and he finished well. He'll stay further and will be a nice horse going a mile-and-a-half.
"He's been a bit of a slow learner. He'll handle softer ground than that and he'll go for a handicap next."
Oxx had also landed the opening juvenile maiden with another Aga Khan-owned horse in Tarana Nashville proved a major gamble, backed at 25/1 in the morning and from 11/1 into 5/1 on course. He could only finish tenth.
(On course reporting by Alan Magee)
