Wingmen strides clear© Photo Healy Racing
Wingmen showed that he's all about stamina when winning the bumper in Naas under Harry Swan.
He made 250,000 guineas after a comprehensive point-to-point victory in January and set foot on a racecourse for the first time today.
He dictated throughout, and was a little keen, but looked vulnerable when joined and passed by second-favourite Iris Emery a quarter of a mile from home. Harry Swan got lower in the saddle and asked for more, and his mount stayed on well to soon regain the lead.
The further he went the stronger he got over this two-mile trip which looks as short as he would want.
The 8/11 favourite ran on strongly in the final furlong to draw eight lengths clear of Typhoon Flyer (9/1) who got up for second.
Gordon Elliott said: “He’s a nice horse, a next-year horse. I think he’ll be better with a jump in front of him and you probably won’t see too much more of him this year.
“There is a massive engine there but he’s a bit hard on himself, a bit too keen.
“We might give him a run over hurdles later on in the season.”
Paddy Power kept Wingmen unchanged at 16/1 for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
