Wodao and Gavin Ryan pictured on their way to victory© Photo Healy Racing
Wodao made the breakthrough on his fourth start, as he easily accounted for his rivals in the Lynn Lodge Stud Irish EBF Maiden.
Not beaten far by the exciting The Antarctic on his last two outings, the Donnacha O'Brien trained chestnut was expected deliver this afternoon and was sent off the 2/1 favourite in the colours of Atlantic Thoroughbreds.
Sent straight to the front by Gavin Ryan, the son of Showcasing made all. Pushed along from the furlong pole, he soon stretched clear and came home three-and-three-quarters of a length to the good. Studio City (10/3) filled the runner-up spot under Leigh Roche for Michael O'Callaghan, while Holdonfordearlife (25/1) was another two lengths back in third.
O'Brien said in the aftermath: "He has run into a few good horses in his last few runs, but I'd say that was a step up again.
"He's a nice horse so we will look at something like the Windsor Castle at Ascot if he comes out of that well.
"The last day we were kind of holding on to him over five (furlongs) and we kind of let him at it (today), and I'd say he is a better horse ridden that way.
"We probably ran into dad's Norfolk horse (The Antarctic) twice, so you could be running into a Group 1 horse, but at the same time I think that was a step up. We rode him more positively today and it worked better.
"Hopefully he can progress again."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
