Tony Martin’s Orandi came with a powerful late charge to take top honours in the Nua Healthcare Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh on Sunday.

Shane Foley had a wall of horses in front of him two furlongs out but once negotiating a route around them, his mount made an immediate and decisive move forward.

Kortez Bay also came through to the front at a similar point and the pair put plenty of daylight between them and the main pack, but Orandi proved the stronger to score by three-quarters of a length at 10/1.

Smooth Tom finished just under five lengths back in third, with Indigo Five and the well-backed Gleneagle Bay faring best of the rest in the €100,000 mile contest.

Orandi certainly was not winning out of turn after being placed in his final six starts last season and had worked well in a recent racecourse gallop.

Martin said: “We were fortunate to have a very good rider on the day and it all worked out.

“He was always missing the break, but he rode him twice last year and was confident he would get him out sharp, which he did today.

“Originally, Wayne Hassett was to ride him and there were cross communications, which was unfortunate for him and fortunate for Foley. I thought 5lb would be a big help, but it worked out well.

“He did a sparkling bit of work at Leopardstown a few weeks ago.

“When he ran here last year, we said we’d put him by for the English one or this race. He does want a dig in it and that’s why he doesn’t run during the summer.

“The jockey was excellent as he broke sharp and the pace was strong, so he gave him a chance. Throughout the race, you’d be confident that he’d run well and we were just hoping there wouldn’t be one or two better than him.

“He’s in the English Lincoln but I doubt if he’ll run. He was ready to peak there today, and we’ll probably sit on our laurels for a while.”

Juvenile hat-trick

Adrian Murray made it three straight wins in the opening race of Ireland’s flat turf season as Power Blue ran out a convincing victor in the Castle Star At Capital Stud Irish EBF Maiden.

David Egan always had the 5/2 chance in a prominent position and he responded well when challenged around the furlong pole, striding clear to beat 13/8 favourite Slaney View by three and three-quarter lengths.

Murray claimed this contest with Bucanero Fuerte in 2023 and Arizona Blaze 12 months ago, with both going on to be placed at Royal Ascot and proving top-class juveniles.

Bucanero Fuerte secured Group 1 success in the Phoenix Stakes, while Arizona Blaze was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Asked if Power Blue could end up in similar company, Egan said: “Why not? He won by a wider margin today than Arizona Blaze, who is a Breeders’ Cup placed horse. Bucanero Fuerte probably won in similar fashion, but he’s a nice horse.

“Adrian and his team have done a terrific job. He was well prepared and the ultimate professional.

“He travelled with such ease, showed a little bit of greenness but really quickened up in the last 100 yards and galloped out all the way to the boards afterwards.

“He’ll be getting a bit further than five furlongs – that’s for sure.

“He’s a nice horse and there is sure to be plenty of improvement.”

Power Blue is from the first crop of Kildangan Stud stallion Space Blues.

Classic entry

Irish 1000 Guineas entry Bint Queen Kindly justified 2/1 favouritism when finishing strongly to land the Alkumait At Capital Stud Fillies & Mares Maiden over seven furlongs for Dermot Weld and Chris Hayes.

The daughter of Night Of Thunder was making her racecourse debut and kept on well to beat the experienced Copacabana Sands by a length and a quarter, with that pair pulling well ahead of the rest in a 20-runner affair.

Hayes said: “We liked her last year and were kind of anxious to run her at the back-end and the boss rightly decided to give her just a bit of time to come into herself.

“Hopefully we’ll reap the rewards. She’d been working nicely and hopefully she’ll improve.

“Anything is possible, she wasn’t over-cooked for today. We’d got plenty of groundwork into her but I’d be hopeful she’ll improve from it.”

Weld added: “She’d been working nicely and is potentially a very nice filly. Chris gave her a very nice ride. I wanted him to teach her on her first run and she quickened up nicely.”