By Tom Frary
The Curragh's Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden that opened Saturday's rain-hit card is a race with a rich history and despite the failure of Ballydoyle's trio to make the frame there was no reason to believe this year's renewal was not up to scratch. Emerging best was the Aga Khan's Hazdann (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Hazmiyra {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}), who had no space to express himself in the straight when a non-representative ninth in the seven-furlong Gowran Park maiden won by Ballydoyle's The Parthenon (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) 13 days earlier. Always travelled strongly behind the leader Green Impact (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) off the moderate early tempo, the Dermot Weld-trained 10-1 shot loomed large two out and after seizing the advantage soon after comfortably held that rival to score by a neck.
“I was going to ride him forward, but he was very green going to post so I changed tack and opted to ride him in the box seat,” jockey Chris Hayes said. “We walked early and he quickened up and got there without realising and then had one ear cocked. He was badly hampered out of the gates at Gowran and Leigh [Roche] said every door was closed in his face so he looked after him. He appreciated this slower ground and I think he's got a nice future. Princess Zahra is here as well, so it's nice he won. I'd like to mix it from seven furlongs to a mile with him.”
Dermot Weld added, “He just got no run in Gowran, but he came home very well that day. He's a lovely colt, a very genuine colt. Obviously, we'll look at a stakes race with him next. We'll hasten slowly with him. You'll find he continues to progress as the year goes on. He's from the Harzand family, so there is a nice bit of toughness there as well. It's a very important winner with the Princess [Zahra] here to see it.”
The dam, whose second foal was the speedy G3 Prix Texanita-placed Haziym (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), is a daughter of the G3 Give Thanks Stakes runner-up Haziyna (Ire) (Halling) as Weld stated from the family of his Derby and Irish Derby hero Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Her yearling filly is by Ghaiyyath (Ire).
1st-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 6-29, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.48, gd.
HAZDANN (IRE) (c, 2, Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Hazmiyra {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $12,857. O-H H Aga Khan; B-His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld.
You can't put a price on experience!
Hazdann, the only horse in the field to have had a run, cuts loose in the @BarronstownStud @IrishEBF_ Maiden @curraghrace for @AgaKhanStuds 🟢🔴
A colt named City Of Troy won this last season. Wonder what happened to him? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/ywNr1qOse3
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 29, 2024
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