Obliterator (wine) is driven out by Emmet McNamara to beat No Wunder (inside) with Centre Of Interest back in third© Photo Healy Racing
Obliterator made a winning debut in the opening contest at the Curragh this afternoon, the Oxigen Environmental EBF 2yo Maiden.
The Ger Lyons trained son of Oratorio, who cost €70,000 as a yearling at Goffs last October and is a half-brother to Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Just The Judge, opened at 10/1 on-course, touching 8s, before going off a 9/1 chance.
Ridden by Emmet McNamara, the Qatar Racing Limited owned colt was waited with, before making headway on the outer over two furlongs out.
He improved to track the leaders over a furlong from home, and despite soon drifting right, colliding with Centre Of Interest he hit the front inside the final furlong, staying on well from there to record a comfortable two and a half-length success. No Wunder (14/1) attempted to make all for Billy Lee and David Wachman but he had to settle for second, while Centre Of Interest (who suffered most from the interference), was half a length back in third for Kevin Manning and Jim Bolger at 6/1.
A Stewards Enquiry was called after they crossed the line, however no alteration was made to the result. Leafcutter was sent off the 9/4 favourite under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld but he could only manage a disappointing tenth of the thirteen runners.
Ger Lyons said afterwards: "He is a nice horse and he is obviously well-related.
"I was hoping he’d finish in the first three or four and we then would put him away for next year. Even though he has won his maiden we will still probably put him away.
"He wouldn’t want mucky winter ground and he wants every yard of that mile. We will see what the boys want to do.
"We could look at something like the Beresford Stakes but obviously that would be ground dependent."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
