Warbird battles back to snatch the spoils

The Michael Halford-trained Warbird, second to Aidan O’Brien’s Illinois at Tipperary last time, opened his account when producing a gutsy display to foil another Ballydoyle colt Craftsman in the Irish Stallion Farms Median Auction 2-Y-0 Maiden in Gowran Park yesterday.

Ridden by Shane Foley, the well-backed 7/2 shot made the running but looked held when the easy-to-back 11/4 favourite quickened past him at the two-furlong pole. But Warbird, a son of Royal Applause,rallied in response to Foley’s urgings and fought back to snatch the spoils late for a half-length win, the pairfinishing five and a half lengths clear of the third.

Halford, who trains the winner for Sheikh Mohammed, admitted, “It wasn’t the plan to make it, but Shane found himself in front and let him bowl along. He rolled around when Joseph’s horse came up on terms with him. But his experience was a big help and he kept going well. He’s honest and puts his best foot forward. We’ll see what the handicapper thinks of him before making plans. Out of luck on Craftsman, champion-jockey Joseph O’Brien later complete a double in the handicap action,partnering his father’s charge Heirloom to victory in the Next Meeting Gowran Park Handicap and following up on the Eoin Doyle-trained topweight Days Ahead in the Goresbridge Handicap.