Wichita hits the line well for Heffernan

Aidan O’Brien ran three in the opening 7f 2-y-o Maiden at the Curragh which was a race restricted to those that hadn’t run before, and the shortest in the market of that trio Wichita (5/1) came out on top by a head.

Having tracked the leaders, Seamus Heffernan’s mount was produced to challenge inside the final furlong and wore down Fiscal Rules (14/1) to lead close home. Springbank (12/1) was a further length and three quarters away in third while the 9/2 favourite Aesop faded to fifth having been prominent until the furlong marker.

The winner, by No Nay Never, cost 140,000 guineas as a yearling and is a half-brother to three winners in France.

“He's a nice horse and he was just ready to start. He's a lovely horse, said winning trainer O'Brien.

“He's a No Nay Never and he's not short of speed but he looks like a horse that will get a mile next year."

The winning trainer had been out of luck earlier at York, where his 13/8 favourite Ten Sovereigns could manage only sixth place in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes behind the impressive winner Battaash.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson