Warbird and Shane Foley winning for trainer Mick Halford © Photo Healy Racing
< Warbird opened his three-year-old campaign with a commanding all-the-way victory in the Centenary Weekend June 21st & 22nd Rated Race at Gowran Park.
Mick Halford's charge (3-1), racing in the familiar old colours of Sheikh Mohammed, showed plenty of promise in four runs as a juvenile, winning a seven-furlong maiden at the same track in September.
Sent straight to the front by Shane Foley, he was threatened by the favourite Trinity Force in the final quarter-mile but readily saw off his opponent to win by a length and a quarter, with a further three lengths to Lanyard who had every chance.< Tested looked a promising sort when she won her only juvenile start at the Curragh last September in the Khalid Abdullah silks and she confirmed the impression with an easy victory in the Ladies Day June 21st Fillies Race.
Leigh Roche was in no hurry on the Dermot Weld-trained 4-11 favourite, who eased up to challenge for the lead heading towards the final furlong and gradually forged clear to score by two and a half lengths.
Ger Lyons' 4-1 shot Piri Wango returned from a 620-day lay-off and showed a great attitude to see off Einsteins Folly in a set-to for the Goresbridge Breeze Up At Gowran Park May 22nd & 23rd Handicap, getting the better of the argument by a neck under Colin Keane.
Tommy Stack's newcomer Ashtaroth (7-1) showed plenty of spirit as she took the narrow gaps on the rail to snatch the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden by a neck in the shadow of the post under Wayne Lordan.< Consonance (12-1) stuck on gamely to grab the lead late on in the Gowran Park Golf Club Handicap for a half-length victory under Niall McCullagh, who went on to a double when Truly Delightful (16-1) refused to give way in taking the Like Us On Facebook Handicap by half a length.
