Reef makes big splash on debut Great Barrier Reef made a big impression on his debut when taking the Irish National Stud Maiden at the Curragh this afternoon. The son of No Nay Never went to post a 4/9 shot in the six-furlong contest and justified those skinny odds. Ryan Moore tracked front-runner New Mexico before edging on passing the two pole. He asked his mount to open up going to the furlong marker and he soon asserted, powering clear to post a six-length success. 100/1 shot Ischgl ran on to take second without threatening. “We’re delighted. He’s never been away, or asked anything, so he was obviously green. You’d have to be very happy with him,” said Aidan O’Brien. “He was always lovely but he was never asked anything. When they are like that, and have never been away, you don’t know what’s going to happen really.” On going to Royal Ascot he added:- “He’d obviously have to have another run before as he was very green. “He’s by No Nay Never, he’s an influence for speed, but we always thought he was six and he would get seven. “We always viewed him as a horse that would turn into a Coventry/Dewhurst type horse.”
