Johnny Barnes, the bay colt that is owned by Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing Ltd, shed its maiden tag at the first time of offering yesterday by winning the 5.05 at Yarmouth, in Norfolk, on the English east coast.

The horse, which was born in Ireland on February 12, 2012, to Acclamation out of Mahalia, a Danehill mare, was named after Bermuda’s morning well-wisher who recently celebrated his 91st birthday.

Johnny Barnes, the horse, was bought for approximately €310,000 (about $415,000) and placed under the stewardship of the venerable John Gosden, who trains horses out of Newmarket, the headquarters of English racing.

Johnny Barnes kick-started the evening meeting at Yarmouth by winning the British Stallion Studs EBF/bet365 Maiden Stakes for two-year-olds, having been sent off as a 7-4 joint favourite. The Class 5 race was held over seven furlongs and Johnny Barnes, one of two unraced horses in the six-strong field — fellow joint favourite Bartholomew Fair being the other — immediately made its presence well felt from an unfavourable draw in stall one.

Boasting a comfortable cruising speed, Johnny Barnes accelerated impressively under William Buick to win by 1½ lengths from Bartholomew Fair.

The colt’s future engagements have had to be reassessed after yesterday’s performance, with the victory making him ineligible for a scheduled run tomorrow at Newbury in the Don Deadman Memorial European Breeders’ Fund Maiden Stakes.

But, for now, the winner’s prize of £3,234 will have to do as a very early return on investment.