O'Brien annexes Galway opener again via Alexandroupolis

Alexandroupolis made a taking debut in the juvenile maiden over an extended mile that got Galway's card under way.

Aidan O'Brien has won eight of the last 11 renewals of this race and his Camelot newcomer is the next to join the role of honour.

The easy-to-back 17/2 chance (from 4/1) raced in rear of mid-division under Wayne Lordan and travelled powerfully as he began to make headway at the two pole.

He had a wall of five horses in front of him turning for home but, once the opening appeared with a furlong to race, the response was noteworthy.

Lordan sent him about his work and his mount swept through to lead with 150 yards to go. He soon readily asserted to come in by a comfortably length and a quarter.

O'Brien's fellow newcomer, Espionage put in plenty of good late work to get up for second, also at 17/2. Simpson's Paradox a brother of multiple Group 1 winner Alpha Centauri, improved on his second start to finish third at 9/2 having been available at much bigger odds this morning.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: "He is a nice colt, has been showing a bit at home and Wayne gave him a lovely ride. It can be tricky here first-time out, but he was patient on him, found the gaps at the end and hit the line well.

"He should have no problem stepping up to stakes company at the back end of this year and hopefully will be a nice middle-distance horse for next year. He has a very good staying pedigree and Galway is a lovely place to start them at this time of year.

"It is a nice starting point for him and also for the second horse - Seamus' (Heffernan) horse also hit the line well and finished off lovely."

Alexandroupolis has a clutch of Group 1 and Group 2 entries and Paddy Power cut him from 66/1 to 10/1 for the Dewhurst and gave him a first show of 33/1 for the Derby.

Alexandroupolis is a city in Greece with a population of just under 60,000 people.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes