Landshark impresses on debut

Landshark put in a smart performance on debut to take the opener at Leopardstown, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Available at 7s last night, the Jessica Harrington trained bay came in for plenty of market support, and went as short as 5/2.

The son of Bated Breath opened on-course at 9/2 this evening, before going off a 4/1 chance under Colm O'Donoghue.

Having raced mainly in fourth he was stuck for room behind the leaders at the two furlong pole. He was angled out wide with a furlong left to race, and kept on best in the closing stages, getting up to score by half a length. Sappho (12/1) finished second under Colin Keane for Henry De Bromhead, while Harrington also saddled the third horse home, and that was Sneem (20/1) who was a further three parts of a length back under Billy Lee. Man Power and New To Town were sent off the 13/8 joint-favourites and they finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Harrington said afterwards: "He was bought at the Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale by Eamonn Reilly. He was an expensive horse (E210,000) and it's nice when they come out and win first time. He's a gorgeous horse.

"He will probably be a seven furlong horse but we started him over six having come from the breeze up in case he was a bit free.

"Colm said he was always going to get out and he didn't want to bustle him. He wanted him to have a really nice experience today which he did.

"He's the first horse that Bob Ellis has had in Ireland. He's been in Saratoga so hopefully he will get over sometime."

Mr Ellis also owns New Money Honey who won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last year.

Betfair go 25/1 about Landshark for 2000 Guineas.

STEWARDS REPORT

D. O'Brien, rider of Ox Trot (USA) trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount lost its action in the straight.

The Stewards requested a report from K.J. Manning, rider of New To Town, trained by J. S. Bolger, concerning his late arrival at the start of this race. The rider reported that his mount is a free going type who needs to be taken down last. He added that he left the parade ring behind the other horses but his mount commenced to race freely and had to be trotted down. Having considered the report the Stewards accepted the explanation offered.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee