War Command bounces back in the Futurity

After disappointing in the Phoenix Stakes on his last start, War Command (8/11fav) bounced back to his best this afternoon, as he took the Group 2 Galileo European Breeders Fund Futurity Stakes, providing his rider Joseph O’Brien with a treble on the card.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, himself recording a double, the bay son of War Front won his maiden at Leopardstown in June and followed up in impressive fashion in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He was well-fancied to make it three from three in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes over the course on his last outing, but he couldn’t peg back Sudirman and Big Time there, and he had to settle for third at the odds of 2/5.

His last two outings were over six furlongs, and stepped back up to seven this afternoon, he settled in fourth, as his stable companion Friendship made the early running under Seamie Heffernan.

He improved into third and was niggled along two furlongs out, but he got going once asked, hitting the front under a furlong from home, staying on well in the closing stages to score comfortably by three lengths. Mustajeeb was best of the remainder under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld at 7/2, while Exogenesis was a further head back in third under Gary Carroll for Ger Lyons.

Aidan O'Brien commented in the aftermath: "The Ascot horse is back!

"The last day I had given him a break after Ascot and he jumped and ran hard, and it caught him out. In the middle of the race he was a bit ring rusty.

"He was a different horse today, he really quickened up.

"The last day was trainer error again. I obviously didn’t have him sharp or tight enough.

"I’m very happy with him and he got seven furlongs well. I wanted to bring him back here as maybe he was a bit asleep the last time.

"If we are going for the National Stakes I’d rather to get a run into him over him going asleep again.

"Obviously the boys will have a talk now, he will probably go for the National Stakes, but I will let them decide."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson