Platinum provides Halford with 1,000th win

Platinum Warrior provided Mick Halford with his 1,000th winner in Ireland, as he took the Group 3 Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes.

Fourth in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown a fortnight ago, the son of Galileo was sent off a 7/2 chance today.

Settled behind the leaders by Shane Foley, he was pushed along in third from three furlongs out.

He got to the front a furlong and half out, and despite drifting left under pressure inside the final furlong, he had enough in hand to prevail by two and a quarter lengths. Latrobe who was sent off the 3/1 favourite, kept on well to take second under Donnacha O'Brien for his brother Joseph, while Harvestfortheworld (7/1) also kept on nicely from the rear to take third, another length and three parts back under Jamie Spencer for Fozzy Stack.

"You'd be delighted with that horse. He's a Galileo and we don't get too many Galileos," said Halford.

"He's a horse with a big engine, and always has had, and he loves that ground. He got a bit lonely there in front and wandered, he's done it in the past.

"I'd say the better the race the better he'll be. Shane said he got a bit unbalanced down the hill. He got there quick then.

"I think there is more to come from him and we'll aim him at the Irish Derby now. I'd say he'll step up to a mile and a half no bother.

"You'd have to like the way he goes about things, he keeps improving.

"He goes on that fast ground. He's out of a Clodovil mare so he'll maybe handle an ease too but he's such a light actioned horse.

"He ran a blinder the last day, it was his first time up to a mile and a quarter. He's just coming to himself.

"Our horses were slow to come to themselves over the winter and we had to be patient. The weather was bad, the ground was bad, and I wasn't pushing them.

"It was all about picking up from here on. He's one of those types that's getting better with racing."

Foley, who of course won the 2,000 Guineas on Romanised yesterday, added: "There was a bit of pace on and we steady up then. I didn't really want it to turn into a sprint so I let him go on early and he has just been bone idle in front really.

"He had a good look across the track. I don't know whether he was looking at something. He is a horse with a lot of ability, he gets the trip well and will even get a mile and a half.

"He had a lovely run in Leopardstown behind some nice horses, and he has come out and duly obliged today.

The winner is owned by Zhang Yueshang, who also took the opener with Indigo Balance

STEWARDS REPORTS

R.L. Moore, rider of Conclusion (JPN) trained by A.P.O'Brien, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his saddle slipped during this race.

S. Foley, rider of Platinum Warrior trained by M.Halford, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount drifted across the track in the closing stages of this race.

J.P. Spencer, rider of Harvestfortheworld trained by J.A.Stack, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount stumbled badly on leaving the stalls.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson