The clues were there from the market as Urban Beat got Johnny Murtagh off the mark for 2018 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (Plus 10 Race) at Navan.

This was tough going for all concerned, even over the minimum five furlong trip, but the Shane Foley-ridden Urban Beat saw it out best to upstage favourite Pretty Boy Floyd by a length.

Supported down from around 12/1 in earlier trading into a returned 7/2, Urban Beat was stepping up on his only previous effort.

That came when he finished eleventh of sixteen behind subsequent Group One placer, Beckford, last May at the Curragh.

"Gordon Elliott asked me last year could he bring up a couple of two-year-olds to work and two came up well ahead of the others. One was Beckford and the other was this lad, so you can only imagine how I felt coming off the stands at the Curragh that day (after his first run)," reflected Murtagh.

"He was big and backward, and he was nearly ready to run at the end of last year but we gave him time as we needed a few nice three-year-old maidens and he could be a nice sprinter in the making.

"He's got size, he's got scope and strength. He got through the ground well enough today but Shane said he didn't really appreciate it. I think there is more to come from him, and maybe he is as good as the one he worked with that day at the Curragh!

"The owners (Fitzwilliam Racing) have had five winners with me now from nine runners. They kept four horses from last year, and have another eight coming this year. They are a great addition to my stable.

"I have 24 two-year-olds this season and 20 older horses, so we have a nice mixture."

(AM & EM)