Awtaad and Chris Hayes© Photo Healy Racing
Irish 2000 Guineas hero Awtaad won his first race since that big day at the Curragh in May when prevailing convincingly under Chris Hayes in the Group 2 Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown.
Awtaad at 2/1, was shaded for favouritism by Ballydoyle's Hit It A Bomb (15/8), but out on the track Kevin Prendergast's representative led entering the final furlong before going on to beat Custom Cut and the 'jolly,' by a length and a half and half a length.
"He's come back to himself. He had a bit of a dip after Ascot. The ground was bottomless at Ascot and he ran well, finishing third to two very good horses," said Prendergast.
"At Goodwood things just didn't go right. The ground was probably a bit firm and he didn't travel well - why I don't know. He seems to be back to himself today.
"The plan now is to go to Ascot for the QE II.
"I think he likes good ground. Most horses don't like brick hard ground. On good ground he's himself.
"He's a very good horse on his day. He's ran eight times and won five and been third twice.
"His blip was Goodwood and you'll always give them one excuse.
"He's keeping me going and gets me out of bed in the morning.
"We took the noseband off him because we put a tongue-tie on him. He was trying to hold his breath, which he did at Goodwood, and that's probably why he choked up a bit."
(GC & EM)
Paddy Power go 8/1 from 14/1 about Awtaad for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
