Taraj easily justified favouritism when quickening up smartly under Chris Hayes to take the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF(C&G) Maiden at Dundalk.

An eye-catching fourth on his racecourse debut at the Curragh in August, the Churchill colt probably bumped into an above average opponent when runner-up back at that same venue the following month.

Trainer Dermot Weld resisted the temptation to run the colt again on turf towards the end of the season, possibly in an attempt to avoid a hard race on testing ground.

Making his all-weather debut here, the Jastar Capital Limited owned favourite was held up in mid division by Hayes before moving up to challenge entering the straight.

Quickening up smartly once getting to the lead over a furlong out, he went right away to win by two-and-a-half lengths.

Chris Hayes said: "He's a lovely horse and we always thought a lot of him.

"He was very slowly away the first day in a messy-run race. We couldn't see him getting beat even though we knew he wouldn't go on the ground the last day, we just got outstayed on ground that he didn't really enjoy.

"It is very unlike the boss to keep one as nice as that to run the last week in November.

"He loved the surface and we knew he wanted nice ground, he was just so well.

"We didn't go over quick and he had a lovely position - he was good for a few more lengths.

"It is very important for the breed and for the new owner, so it means a lot that race.

"I've no doubt he is a Stakes horse. The boss could freshen him up and he could be one for a Madrid Handicap or a Tetrarch."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham.