O'Brien's Freemantle cedes to Nafaath at Curragh

Aidan O’Brien’s Freemantle was well and truly turned over in the Bank Of Scotland Ireland EBF Fund Maiden at the Curragh as Nafaath ran out a ready winner.

Having finished third in a hot maiden nine weeks ago, Freemantle was expected to confirm his promise and was warm order to do so.

However, Johnny Murtagh was sending out distress signals a long way from home and it was Kevin Prendergast’s Nafaath (4-1) under Declan McDonogh who handled the testing conditions better than anything else.

Lamzena Lady stuck on for second a length and a half away with Four Star General third.

“This is a good solid horse – he’s certainly not little,” said Prendergast. “I’ll have to talk to the owner about him but he’ll probably now run over nine furlongs at Leopardstown.”