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Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

First winner for Air Force Blue, pilot Heffernan flying

Wed 10th Jun 2020, 15:51

Chief Little HawkChief Little Hawk
© Photo Healy Racing

Impressive winner Chief Little Hawk his sire Air Force Blue and jockey Seamie Heffernan have each made blistering starts to new respective 'jobs' as the trio combined to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Navan today.

Former Champion two year old Air Force Blue made a winning start as an American based stallion in the past week stateside and his first runner in Ireland, the Aidan O'Brien trained Chief Little Hawk today was his first European winner.

Chief Little Hawk's rapid pace from the stalls mirrors jockey Heffernan's own swift start (five winners this week) to the postponed flat season with Chief Little Hawk maintaining his gallop to make all for a length and a quarter win over Blue Panther.

Following Chief Little Hawk's win Heffernan reported “he's been showing speed at home. The few Air Force Blues that we have have been showing loads to pace.

“Aidan said, ride him as you find him and if he leaves the gates let him go. I liked the feel he gave me.”

The stars are aligning for Heffernan, 47, who has been understudy to Ballydoyle's Champion Jockeys Michael Kinane, Jamie Spencer, Kieren Fallon, Johnny Murtagh and the O'Brien brothers in the past and is now seemingly Ballydoyle's first choice Irish-based rider with Ryan Moore's British lockdown.

Paddy Power make last year's Derby winner Heffernan 2/1 second favourite behind Colin Keane (4/6) to be Irish Champion Jockey.

Quotes from Gary Carson

1st
7/2
Tote €2.30 €1.40
2nd
1.25L
8/1
€1.20
3rd
1.5L
7/2
€2.00
4th
0.75L
18/1
bf
2.25L
10/3Fav
About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.