Toronto makes the breakthrough under McNamara Toronto avoided the scrimmaging in behind, as he ran out a comfortable winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. An eye-catching fifth on debut here last month, the Aidan O'Brien trained colt was expected to make the breakthrough this evening, opening on-course at evens, before going off the clear 8/11 favourite. Soon in front, the half-brother of Canford Cliffs went clear from the two furlong pole and was eased in the closing stages, coming home a length to the good. His stable mate Arthur's Kingdom (3/1) finished second on debut under Michael Hussey. He stumbled badly over two furlongs out, but kept on well in the closing stages to finish a never nearer second. Fellow newcomer Lougher, backed from 10s to 5s on-course, was another three and a half lengths back in third, but she had a far from smooth passage. Having jumped the road early on, the Richard O'Brien trained chestnut was short of room from before the straight and was again denied a run from the two furlong pole. Once in the clear she finished out her race well under Colin Keane. "He was cosy. He was just a little bit green and had a look close to the line," said McNamara. "He was very comfortably through the race. I wasn't able to get a lead for as long as I would, ideally, have liked and was left in front a bit longer than I would have liked. "He quickened and put the race to bed off the home turn. In the last 100 yards he was starting to gear down on me a little bit. "He got the mile well but he probably didn't even need to go the mile today as he showed plenty of pace. "It was a nice performance and he stepped forward from his first run. It's nice to get one while the lads are away in Ascot. "I had ridden him very little, and definitely not since his first run, but I was chatting to Wayne Lordan this morning and he said he ran a nice race the last day. He gave me plenty of confidence in him going out and it worked out nicely. "He's definitely well able for a step up in grade after that, you'd imagine into group company, and hopefully he'll continue to progress. "He has a top class pedigree so there is no reason why he can't. How far he'll go, I don't know, but there is plenty for him." The winner was completing a cross-card double for Aidan O'Brien, who was earlier successful with South Pacific at Royal Ascot. Additional reporting by Gary Carson
