Jockey Wayne Lordan won Curragh maiden on Expanding. © Photo Healy Racing
The well-bred Expanded made a winning racecourse debut when staying on strongly close home to take the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden at the Curragh.
A half-brother to a Group 3 winning juvenile, the Aidan O'Brien trained colt was slow exiting stalls but soon recovered to track the leaders after a couple of furlongs.
Pushed along in fourth over a furlong out, the 9/4 chance looked booked for minor honours as stablemate First Wave struck for home under Jack Cleary.
Still just out of the frame over 100 yards out, Expanded stayed on strongly close home under Wayne Lordan to get up to beat First Wave a neck.
Chris Armstrong said: “They are all nice colts and we ran all three just to get them out and find out where they were.
“Wayne's horse is a lovely horse, he's got loads of class and the penny only dropped late but he got up at the right time. His class got him through at the end.
“He's still very raw and when he puts everything together he's going to be a smashing colt.
“We'll take him home and see whether he has another run this year or whether we put him away for next year. He's going to be a horse to look forward to next year.
“Coming between horses educated him even more. Wayne had sat on him before at home and thought he had the makings of a lovely horse.
“Wootton Bassett is an incredible sire and we're looking forward to the next few years.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
