Third to the subsequent Listed Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial winner Black Sea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on debut over this course and distance in October, Awtaad dealt with another Ballydoyle trainee in Bravery (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when breaking his maiden at the same distance at Leopardstown two weeks later. Returning to register a five-length handicap success back over this track and trip Mar. 20, the homebred made the step up in class here to book a ticket to the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas in 20 days' time. Settled in second early, the dark bay gained the edge over Embiran with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and stayed on strongly to lead the way for the returning Blue de Vega. “He is a model–it was a great call by the boss to run him, as we intended to work him here after racing and run him fresh in the Guineas but he raced a bit gassy with me and that should take any silliness off him for the big day in three weeks,” jockey Chris Hayes explained. “Provided the ground dries up a bit more, he has a nice chance in my opinion. He's a gorgeous horse with a great temperament and ticks all the boxes.” Trainer Kevin Prendergast added, “He's always been a good horse, but early on he was very immature and he's grown out of the issues he had as a yearling and 2-year-old. He needed his run badly last time and this will bring him on again. He's a lovely, genuine horse with a lovely conformation so hopefully he'll go on. The extra furlong of the Guineas will suit him and after that we might stretch him out further, but he wouldn't want the ground like the road even though he'd like it better than it was today.” Awtaad, whose dam is a half to the MGSP Aaraas (GB) (Haafhd {GB}), has a 2-year-old half-sister by Lawman (Fr) named Aneen (Ire) and a yearling half-sister by Tamayuz (GB). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
POWER EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND TETRARCH S.-Listed, €55,000, CUR, 5-2, 3yo, 7fT, 1:28.82, sf.
1–#AWTAAD (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Cape Cross (Ire)
1st Dam: Asheerah (GB) (SP-Ire), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Adaala, by Sahm
3rd Dam: Alshoowg, by Riverman
O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Limited (IRE); T-Kevin Prendergast; J-Chris Hayes. €32,450. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $68,339.
2–Blue de Vega (Ger), 132, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Burning Heights (Ger), by Montjeu (Ire). (€32,000 Ylg '14 BBAGS; €75,000 2yo '15 GBMBR). O-Qatar Racing Limited & HH Sheikh Khalifa Abdulla K H Al Thani & HH Sheikh Suhaim. €10,450.
3–Embiran (Ire), 129, c, 3, Shamardal–Emiyna, by Maria's Mon. O-H. H. Aga Khan. €4,950.
Margins: 2, 3/4, NK. Odds: 1.60, 1.50, 5.00.
Also Ran: Pacodali (Ire), Collision Course (Ire), Round Two (Ire), Roibeard (Ire).
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