Fozzy Stack off the mark as a trainer at Naas

Gino Severini gave Fozzy Stack his first winner since officially taking over the licence from his father Tommy when gamely taking the Palmerstown House Madrid Handicap.

The Fastnet Rock gelding (8/1) was a length and a half too strong for Hailstone, with Zelaniya third.

The bottom-weight was giving Chris Hayes a double in a race he won 12 months ago on subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas winner, Awtaad.

Stack said "It's good to have that monkey off my back!

"He'd been working well, and has got stronger since last year. I always thought he wanted better ground, but he had been working well on grass a few times during the spring.

"He stays well and he could get a mile and a quarter."

Of his new link with Hayes, who will also continue to ride for Kevin Prendergast, Stack said: "It's good to have Chris. He has plenty of experience and Kevin has been good and hopefully it works out well for everybody.

"We have about 60 horses this year, and half of those are two-year-olds. We have a good squad, but only time will tell."

Hayes had earlier initiated a double when Moonlight Bay, a daughter of Pivotal was produced late to collar the well-backed Royal Diplomat in the closing stages of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Royal Diplomat was always prominent and led inside the final furlong but the 6/4 favourite had no answer to the late surge of Moonlight Bay (4/1), who powered away to score by two and a half lengths.

Veteran trainer Kevin Prendergast said: "She probably handled the ground better than most of them.

"She was bred at Lumville Stud which is one of Sheikh Hamdan's studs in Co. Offaly, and they run a good outfit there. Hopefully she goes on from this."

Alphabet opened her account in impressive fashion when having her first start for Aidan O'Brien in the Weatherbys GSB Goes Online Maiden.

Having shown bits of form in three starts for the now-retired David Wachman last term, the daughter of Lawman turned this six-furlong heat into a procession.

Leading virtually from the start, the 7/1 chance drew away from her 19 rivals in the final furlong in the hands of O'Brien's daughter, Ana.

Ma Fee Heela was sent off the 7/4 favourite to make a successful debut but had to settle for second place, some five and a half lengths behind the easy winner. Jet Streaming shaped well on her first run in third place for Adrian Keatley.

The winning trainer said: "David liked her last year, but his horses were sick. He thought she was quick, and she seems to handle any ground. She jumped and travelled very strongly.

"We have about seven horses that David trained last year, and they are ones he thought were above maiden class."

Gymkhana found a decisive burst of speed to make a winning first start since joining trainer Ger Lyons when taking the Naas Racecourse Launches The 2017 Flat Season Handicap.

Bought for 21,000 guineas at Tattersalls Autumn Sales out of David Smaga's French stable, the Equiano colt stamped his authority on the six-furlong contest with a great flourish in the final furlong.

Ridden out by Colin Keane, Gymkhana had two and a quarter lengths to spare over Athas An Bhean with top-weight Maarek staying on for third place and the winner's stablemate, Imagine If, fourth.

Lyons said of his 12/1 scorer: "He's been very straightforward and I felt if it was seven furlongs I would have fancied him to be in the money. I was learning as much about him as everyone else today.

"That was a nice performance and he has plenty of toe, but you would like to think that he will get further. It's a nice way to start the season and the three-year-old (Imagine If) ran a cracker.

"I'm delighted to have new owners in the yard and to train a winner for them."