True Valour shows his strength in Limerick

Fresh from a treble last night in Dundalk, jockey Colin Keane steered home 11/10 favourite True Valour in the opening seven-furlong maiden at Limerick.

The form of the Kodiac colt's runner-up finish in Leopardstown last August has been well franked with the winner, Lancaster Bomber, finishing second in the Group One Dewhurst at Newmarket and in a Grade One at the Breeders' Cup.

In today's assignment, Keane settled him in fourth behind the leader Pennsylvania before switching out into third a furlong and a half out.

Pennsylvania looked to slip the field inside the final furlong but True Valour stayed on stoutly to wear him down in the closing stages and win by half a length.

The gambled-on Yulong Xionghu made eye-catching late headway, on debut for Michael Halford, to get up for second at 7/2 having been 15/2 in the morning.

Pennsylvania was a head further away in third at 6/1.

Trainer Johnny Murtagh said: "He'd a little issue last year, something small and we just gave him the time off but I'm very happy with him.

"He was always going to be a very nice three-year-old for a maiden. Colin was happy with him and he said he settled well and quickened up well. He did what he had to do on ratings.

"We'll have a look at the Tetrarch Stakes next week - it might be a bit too soon for him but if he comes out of this race well, we might let him take his chance and see how good he is."

Colin Keane, sporting the Qatar Racing silks, added: "He was entitled to do that. He had a good run the last day in Leopardstown. If he improved at all over the winter, which he has, he'd do something like that.

"He was just chinned on the line that day (in Leopardstown) unfortunately but a winter under his belt is after strengthening him up. Hopefully he'll go on to Stakes level and do something again."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes