Kingfisher made a striking impression at Killarney yesterday evening to get off the mark at the second attempt.

Fourth to Free Eagle, the ante-post favourite for the Epsom Derby, at Leopardstown a fortnight ago, Ballydoyle’s inmate had far less on his plate here. Even so, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden did not look a bad race by any stretch of the imagination, but Joseph O’Brien’s partner could not have been any more eyecatching. The Galileo colt (8/13 favourite) was always handily placed throughout the extended one-mile journey before he slalomed into the lead as the field turned for home.

Kingfisher ended up with nine lengths in hand of Salute Of Approval at the line, but the winner was rarely out of second gear.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "He had a lovely first run at Leopardstown and is a horse to look forward to. "He's a beautiful-looking horse and ideally likes good, fast ground. Coming here will have taught him a lot and he is likely to run next in the Beresford Stakes (Curragh, September 29th)."

Swept clear
Wannabe Better (12/1) won the Vincent O'Brien Ruby Stakes for the Tommy Stack operation. The Wayne Lordan-ridden filly swept clear of Captain Joy, the 11/4 favourite, inside the final 100 yards to take this Listed race over eight and a half furlongs. Rock Critic made most of the running, but Captain Joy galloped into a commanding position two furlongs from home.

But Lordan’s companion, a tidy winner at Naas earlier in the month, had slightly more fluency as the duo charged towards the line and won, going away, by two lengths.

Snow Queen, Ballydoyle’s maddening filly, again badly missed the break before making up lots of ground too late.

Lordan said: “She was in good form and is a filly we’ve always thought a bit of. “I got a lovely tow – they went a nice, even gallop the whole way.”