Airwave loses nothing in defeat on debut for O'Brien
The former Henry Candy-trained mare, a fixture in the top sprints over the last few seasons, looked to be still going best when hitting the front in the final furlong and battled well for Kieren Fallon when challenged by Sky High Flyer.
But the five-year-old simply ran out of steam towards the line on the heavy ground and eventually had to settle for third.
Sent off the 5-2 joint favourite, she relinquished the lead to Paul Nolan’s charge as the post appeared, although both were tapped for toe by John Oxx’s Hazariya, who flew home on the stands side to score by neck.
Oxx said: “She just stays - she’s a mile-and-a-quarter filly really. We were taking a chance bringing her here but we thought with the heavy ground we’d take a chance.
“Mick (Kinane) said she just kept grinding. She’s in the (Irish) Guineas but we might be wasting our time taking on good class horses over a mile.”
Airwave, who now runs in the famous colours of Michael Tabor, was having her first start over seven furlongs on the most testing surface she has ever encountered.
The winner, meanwhile, is now likely to be targeted at the Blue Wind Stakes at Naas in mid-May.
Roger Charlton’s Striking Ambition maintained his unbeaten record at the Kildare venue when ploughing through the mud for an easy success in the Key Of Luck Woodlands Stakes.
The sole British raider in a field of five runners, the 4-7 favourite had no trouble in adding to his win at track last October with a bloodless victory in the Listed contest.
Smartly out of the gate under Johnny Murtagh, Charlton’s charge was soon at the head of affairs and relished the ground.
He was not at all hard pressed to hold the staying-on Senor Benny (4-1) by a length and a half.
Murtagh said: “He got very tired in the last half a furlong in the conditions. But it was a good performance and he had it won a furlong out.
“I think he’ll go on and improve from here.
“He handled the ground well and he showed great speed. He just got tired at the end.
“He’s tough and consistent at Listed and Group Three level and who knows? He’s a year older and he might just step up, there’s plenty of races to be won with a horse like him.”
Fallon continued to cement his new partnership with the Ballydoyle operation when guiding Where’s That Tiger (7-2 second-favourite) to victory in the opening MD Betting European Breeders Fund Maiden.
The son of Storm Cat showed a likeable attitude to stay on strongly in the closing stages and nail the 9-4 favourite Dynamo Dancer on the line, with Fallon’s mount gaining victory by a short head.
“He is a nice horse and Kieren gave him a lovely education,” said O’Brien.
“The two-year-olds are all a bit backwards and I haven’t done much with them. But he has to be nice given the way he has done it in that ground.”
Oxx initiated a double earlier in the afternoon when his Ehsan rousted the opposition in the MB Betting European Breeders Fund Maiden.
A son of the trainer’s brilliant Derby winner Sinndar, the 4-1 shot found plenty when challenged in the final two furlongs to score by an impressive seven lengths from Helvetio.
“He’s a nice horse,” said Oxx. “The family are all quite idle types. The dam was and she won in similar style to this one.
“He’s well entered up, including the Derby. He’ll have to keep improving but he might just do that.”
The winner goes next for the Glanbia Classic Trial at Gowran Park, a race the trainer has won four times in the past.
VC Bet introduced the Aga Khan-owned colt into the betting for the Vodafone Derby at 25-1.
Fran Berry led home an Irish one-two in the MB Betting Jockeys Challenge Handicap when scoring aboard John Carr’s Stutter.
Fallon looked to have stolen the race aboard Rooftop Protest but was collared in the closing stages by Berry, with Michael Hills landing a blow for the British-based team when finishing third on Fire Finch.
Pat Smullen also made the frame on Pelagias Star to give the Irish-based team, who had been considered the outsiders by the sponsors, a comprehensive victory by 40 points to 27.
