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Wichita hits the line well for Heffernan

Wichita and Seamie Heffernan (near side) beat Fiscal Rules by a head.Wichita and Seamie Heffernan (near side) beat Fiscal Rules by a head.
© Photo Healy Racing

Aidan O’Brien ran three in the opening 7f 2-y-o Maiden at the Curragh which was a race restricted to those that hadn’t run before, and the shortest in the market of that trio Wichita (5/1) came out on top by a head.

Having tracked the leaders, Seamus Heffernan’s mount was produced to challenge inside the final furlong and wore down Fiscal Rules (14/1) to lead close home. Springbank (12/1) was a further length and three quarters away in third while the 9/2 favourite Aesop faded to fifth having been prominent until the furlong marker.

The winner, by No Nay Never, cost 140,000 guineas as a yearling and is a half-brother to three winners in France.

“He's a nice horse and he was just ready to start. He's a lovely horse, said winning trainer O'Brien.

“He's a No Nay Never and he's not short of speed but he looks like a horse that will get a mile next year."

The winning trainer had been out of luck earlier at York, where his 13/8 favourite Ten Sovereigns could manage only sixth place in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes behind the impressive winner Battaash.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
5/1
Tote €4.50 €1.80
2nd
hd
14/1
€5.30
3rd
1.75L
12/1
€4.40
4th
0.75L
25/1
bf
0.5L
9/2Fav
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.