Grafelli sheds his maiden tag at Naas © Photo Healy Racing
In-running punters were left with reduced accounts after the six furlong colts and geldings two-year-old maiden which opened the evening meeting at Naas. Parliament Square for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien went off the 1/4 favourite, after finishing fifth in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, and when he moved into contention a furlong and a half out punters must have thought they were home.
When asked for more though, he found nothing on the heavy ground and could only finish third of the seven runners.
Meanwhile, it looked like Three Sea Captains (9/1) and Wayne Lordan were powering home on the far rail, but he got nailed close home by Grafelli (12/1) and Kevin Manning in the centre of the track, by half a length.
Grafelli had run fifth in a seven furlong maiden at the Curragh on his only previous outing, but crucially on soft to heavy ground. Making reference to the going, his trainer Jim Bolger said: “He got through it and that was a help.
"He’s a slow learner and there should be some improvement to come. We’ll see how he gets treated in nurseries and we’ll go from there.”
Michael Graham (on course reporting by Gary Carson)
