York: Astaire holds on to take Gimcrack

Astaire won his first group stakes in Saturday’s $306,127 Gimcrack Stakes for 2-year-olds at York, England, leading throughout the six-furlong turf race.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, Astarie held off a late run from Wilshire Boulevard (4-1) to win the Group 2 race by a neck. Parbold, the 11-4 favorite, in the field of seven, finished third, a half-length behind the winner.

Astaire, an Irish-bred colt by the Giant’s Causeway stallion Intense Focus, races for Angie Bailey and is trained by Kevin Ryan. Astaire, who gave Ryan a second consecutive win in the Gimcrack, will be pointed for the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, England, this fall.

Futurity Stakes: War Command back redeems himself

In Ireland, War Command restored his reputation as a leading European 2-year-old with his second stakes win in the $117,647 Futurity Stakes at The Curragh.

The winner of the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, War Command finished third in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh on Aug. 11. In the Group 2 Futurity Stakes, War Command (8-11) closed from fourth in a field of five to win the seven-furlong race by three lengths over Mustajeeb.

War Command, by War Front, was ridden by Joseph O’Brien for his father, trainer Aidan O’Brien. War Command races for Joseph Allen, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.