Covent Garden and Seamie Heffernan score at Tipperary © Photo Healy Racing
Covent Garden made just about all the running under Seamie Heffernan to easily win the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Tipperary.
Owned by the same connections as leading Arc fancy Luxembourg, the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt was smart from stalls and never saw another rival.
A beaten favourite on his most recent start at Gowran Park, the Galileo colt put previous experience to good use as he put up a thoroughly professional performance. Kingswood travelled well just off the leader and gave valiant chase inside the last two furlongs but had no answer to the Ballydoyle runner.
“He's a lovely colt, he had two very good runs in his first two maidens. He ran a lovely race in Gowran last time,” said stable representative Chris Armstrong.
“Seamus gave him a lovely ride today and he's stepped up from each run.
“He's a horse that could be one for those Group 1s in around three weeks time. There are two mile races in France and the Vertem Futurity, or you've even got the Eyrefield Stakes.
“He's a horse to look forward to next year.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
