Airwave brave in defeat

Airwave ran a valiant race in defeat on her debut for Aidan O’Brien in the Group Three EBF Athasi Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.

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.