Innisfree rises to the task to score for Ballydoyle

As expected, the market principals Innisfree and Shekhem fought out the finish to the Claregalwayhotel.ie (C&G) Irish EBF 2-y-o maiden at Galway, and indeed nothing else landed a blow.

The former,sent off odds-on favourite (4/9) after a promising debut second at Naas, was always prominent and found extra inside the final furlong to fend off the persistent challenge of the Weld runner (3/1) by a neck, with six and a half lengths back to Cap D’Antibes (20/1) in third place.

The winner, trained by Aidan O’Brien, holds entries in both the Futurity Stakes and National Stakes at the Curragh later in the campaign.

Winning rider Donnacha O’Brien stated afterwards, “He’s still a bit green and you could see him hanging into the fence a bit once we straightened up.

"He wants further as well but I think he’s a nice horse going forward.

“It was a very eye-catching run in Naas.

"He would have learned plenty that day but today was a different kettle of fish altogether on this track and I think he would have learned a lot again.

“I’d say they are two decent horses.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee