Indian Maharaja and Joseph O'Brien© Photo Healy Racing
Ballydoyle's regally bred Indian Maharaja earned ante-post quotes for next year's 2,000 Guineas and Derby with an impressive winning debut, followed by his heart-stopping 'victory lap', in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden at Gowran today.
Connections of Indian Maharaja, a son of Galileo and out of Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Again, had more anxious moments after the mile maiden than before or during the contest.
The winner stormed to an easy six and a half lengths win but, through greeness, then failed to negotiate the bend away from the stands, dumping his rider Joseph O'Brien to the ground as he skidded into the perimeter railing. The colt then galloped loose and after failing to gain entry, over a plastic railing, into the nearby Golf Course was eventually caught and remounted, unscathed.
Winning trainer Aidan O'Brien was completing a double as was his son Joseph who later stated “we thought he (Indian Maharaja) would be very green and he was even green coming down the hill. He was all over the place looking at everything and then just didn't turn.
“The ground is quick and he quickened well and was nearly going too quick and started to skid. He's a lovely horse though.”
Paddy Power later introduced Indian Maharaja at 25/1 for both the 2014 2,000 Guineas and Derby while Stan James introduced him at 20/1 for the 2,000 Guineas.
By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson.
