Johnny Murtagh escaped with just a cut on his nose after taking a nasty looking fall when Petronius Maximus slipped up in the opening Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises EBF Maiden at the Curragh.

The Ballydoyle colt led the field in the six furlong contest and was tackled by eventual winner Sydney Harbour two furlongs out.

The leader seemed to lose his hind end and crashed through the rails and to the ground a furlong-and-a-half from home.

The colt then cantered up the inside of the running rail before eventually being caught near the winning post.

Murtagh was quickly attended to and returned to weigh out for the next race.

Sydney Harbour was left to come home a cosy two length winer. A Word Apart who missed the kick and raced in rear, finished strongly inside the final furlong to take second.

Winning trainer David Wachman said:- "He's a grand little horse and is getting better.

"He's well entered up and we've always though a bit of him. He needs a bit of cover which he didn't get last time at Limerick."