Inishbeg lands Thirsk maiden, 500,000gns colt justifies price tag

Inishbeg took a first step toward matching his price tag at Thirsk, and Kevin Ryan left the track with a one-two that made the result about more than just one maiden. The 500,000gns colt, a 3-year-old by Ghaiyyath out of Lajatico, got off the mark in the Thomas Lord Dine & View Restaurant Great Value Maiden Stakes by 3/4 of a length from stablemate Fozzie, while even-money favourite Weffaag could manage only third.

The 7f contest was delayed for around 20 minutes after Saxon Gem and Zarvali both got loose from the stalls, but once the field went away at 14:12, Inishbeg handled the occasion with the authority of a colt still learning his trade. Ridden by Kevin Stott, he travelled through a 14-runner field on good ground, with good to soft in places, and stopped the clock in 1m 26.85s. Fozzie, sent off at 66-1 under Shane Gray, chased him home to complete a stable exacta that gave Ryan a useful payday and underlined the depth of the yard’s maiden team.

The win did not come out of nowhere. Inishbeg had already finished second on debut at York on 22 August 2025, then was runner-up again at Redcar on 24 September 2025 and Newcastle on 19 March 2026 before finally getting his head in front at the fourth attempt. Bought by Ryan from Cooneen Stud for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 in 2024, he has been carrying expectations for some time, and the latest effort suggested those expectations were not misplaced.

Ryan described Inishbeg as “a work in progress” and said he had been “a big, weak horse last year,” but the trainer also made clear that the colt is moving the right way. That matters because the form of the race was no soft touch, with Weffaag, trained by William Haggas and ridden by Daniel Tudhope, already backed as the one to beat before finishing third. For Ryan, the Thirsk score added to an April run of success at the track and hinted that Inishbeg may be ready to climb into stronger company if he keeps improving.