racing_news/

War Command Returns to Form in Futurity Stakes
24/08/13

1 War Command 8/11F
2 Mustajeeb 7/2
3 Exogenesis 11/2
5 ran Distances: 3l, hd, 2l
TIME 1m 23.94s (slow by 0.44s)

Royal Ascot hero War Command got his season back on track with a smart display in the Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.

War Command
© Caroline Norris

Aidan O'Brien's juvenile ran out a spectacular winner of the Coventry Stakes in June, but then suffered a shock defeat when only third in the Phoenix Stakes at this track a fortnight ago. Despite that reverse, he was an 8-11 favourite as he stepped up to seven furlongs.

Joseph O'Brien appeared content to give his pacesetting stable companion Friendship plenty of rope and there was a brief moment of worry for odds-on backers as Mustajeeb loomed up as a threat, but War Command quickly engaged overdrive to go by his pacemaker and put the race to bed.

Mustajeeb shaped with plenty of promise to fill the runner-up spot, but was ultimately well held.

O'Brien snr said: "The Ascot horse is back. We gave him a break after Ascot and the last day he jumped and ran hard and it caught him out. In the middle of the race he was a bit ring-rusty, but when he got going he was closing to the line. It was obviously trainer error again. I didn't have him sharp enough or tight enough.

"He was a different horse today. He tipped up more like he did at Ascot and quickened up well. I'm very happy with him and he got the seven furlongs well.

"I think he was maybe asleep the last day and if we're going for the National Stakes, we wouldn't want to have him asleep again. The boys will have a talk about it, but he'll probably come back here for the National Stakes."