Kingdom holds Pay Day Kitten© Photo Healy Racing
Kingdom held the late lunge of Pay Day Kitten to claim the opening maiden at the Curragh this afternoon.
The Ballydoyle colt was sent off 4/11 favourite for the seven-furlong contest but was all out close home to land the spoils.
Joseph O'Brien sent his mount into the lead on the rail and he appeared to have his rivals accounted for over a furlong out. Sophisticated Heir who had thrown down a challenge two out, had cried enough but then Pay Day Kitten emerged as a threat inside the final furlong.
The Dermot Weld trained newcomer ran slightly green but finished best and just failed by a neck to peg back the hotpot.
The winner had experience on his side having been third on his Galway debut and finished a decent fifth behind smart sort Trading Leather at Gowran last time.
Kingdom's half-sister made 1.3 million guineas at the recent Tattersalls yearling sale.
He is a full-brother to Group One winning juvenile Jan Vermeer and a half-brother to Together, who won a Grade One in the US and was placed in the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas.
Winning trainer Aidan O'Brien, who celebrates his 43rd birthday today, was not present to welcome back the winner.
Joseph O'Brien had gained victory at the expense of title rival Pat Smullen and it moved him six clear on 84 winners for the season.
