Michael O’Callaghan opened his account for the season as Recon Mission justified good support in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at the Curragh.

The son of Kodiac was supported on track from 7/1 into 7/2, and was prominent throughout under Leigh Roche.

He kept on strongly inside the final furlong to beat the 5/4 favourite Wartime Hero by a length and a quarter, with Invincible Karma another length and three quarters away in third.

O’Callaghan said, “We got him at the Breeze Ups in Doncaster and he came highly recommended by Roger O’Callaghan. We have been very lucky buying off Roger as we bought Blue De Vega and Now Or Never off him. Hopefully we have another smart one here.

“I was a bit apprehensive beforehand as everyone thought they were going to win and it looked a good maiden on paper even after Aidan’s three came out.

“Leigh said he wasn’t in love with the ground but jumped and travelled very professional. He’ll be better on better ground and got a bit lonely in front.

“I’ll have a look at the Rochestown Stakes (Listed) in Naas next weekend. We’ll see how he comes out of this and hopefully he’ll make an Ascot horse. He’s a proper two-year-old, quite mature and is not going to do too much more growing.”