Royal Tern provided champion trainer Aidan O'Brien with his first two-year-old success of the new flat campaign at Cork yesterday when making virtually all under Christy Roche in the Barrys Fruit EBF Maiden.

After the even money favourite survived a stewards' inquiry the Ballydoyle maestro said: "He ran very green last time and was a little green today also. He's a fast horse, a sharp horse," he remarked before nominating a winner-of-one contest at Tipperary next for the son of Hamas. Archive Footage, well supported from 7 to 4 down to 5 to 4, was awarded the Barrys Of Mallow Handicap in the stewards' room soon after the Dermot Weld-trained topweight was narrowly denied by San Sebastian and Eddie Ahern.

The stewards found that interference had taken place in the final 150 yards and, after viewing the video evidence, reversed the placings.

"I thought he would get the verdict," remarked Weld, who added: "I may run him in the two-and-a-half mile novice hurdle at Punchestown, but I may consider the Chester Cup next month as an other option." Earlier Michael Grassick and Eddie Ahern recorded their second win of the new flat campaign, courtesy of Sir True Blue, who defied top-weight with a battling display in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap when holding off the challenge of Calamity Kate and Vintage Display.