AIDAN O’BRIEN’S Concert Hall produced a telling late challenge to win the Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh.
The daughter of Ballydoyle’s 2012 Oaks winner Was, ridden here like her mother at Epsom by Seamie Heffernan, appeared to need all of the seven-furlong trip to get on top in this Group Three.
Concert Hall, successful over course and distance in a July maiden, was sent off at 9-2 after finishing out of the first three at Group Two and Group One level at the Curragh over the past two months.
She was still only seventh two furlongs out, as British challenger Lovely Mana and eventual runner-up Sunset Shiraz were among those to the fore on the far rail.
But Heffernan delivered Concert Hall with a sustained run wide of her rivals down the middle of the track, and she got to the front to win by a length – with Seisai staying on for third, a further neck away.
O’Brien, who was winning this race for the fifth time in the last 10 years, said: “I’m delighted with her, and if she comes out of this OK she’ll probably step up and go on to the Fillies’ Mile.
“She’s a hardy lady and is going to improve from racing. She stays well and is a good, strong build.”
Paddy Power shortened Concert Hall to 10-1 from 16-1 for next month’s Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket – and into 20-1 from 33-1 for the 1000 Guineas over the same course and distance.
Elsewhere, Dermot Weld’s dual Classic heroine Search For A Song returned to her best form with an impressive success in the Group Three Raa Atoll Loughbrown Stakes at the Curragh.
Search For A Song won the Irish St. Leger in 2019 and 2020 but, after a mid-summer break, could finish only sixth behind Sonnyboyliston in pursuit of a famous hat-trick at this same course on Irish Champions Weekend a fortnight ago.
Back up to two miles, for only the second time in her career, last year’s Long Distance Cup runner-up appeared to both relish the extra stamina test and demonstrate her liking once more for the Curragh as she surged to a near 10-length victory from even-money favourite The Mediterranean.
