After Saturday's exhilarating juvenile action at Doncaster and Saint-Cloud, Leopardstown pitched in late afternoon to offer up its own 2022 Classic hopeful in TDN Rising Star Duke de Sessa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the nine-furlong G3 Eyrefield S. Impressive over a mile at The Curragh when breaking his maiden Aug. 21, Newtown Anner Stud Farm's homebred had disappointed when sixth of seven over the same track dropping a furlong for the Sept. 12 G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and had a point to prove in a deep renewal of this prize. Waited with in rear early as Colin Keane watched the action unfold, the 11-2 shot was still at the tail of the field two out but got motoring down the outer to reel in Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) in the last 50 yards. At the line, he had prevailed by half a length, with 1 1/4 lengths back to Anchorage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in third in a race that is likely to be a source of big names from next year onwards.
“He's a lovely colt, still immature, and he'll make a lovely colt next year,” trainer Dermot Weld said. “Hopefully he'll come back for a Guineas trial and I see him potentially as an Irish 2000 Guineas horse. He just had to wait there to get him out and get him balanced and he came home exceptionally well. He has a lot of pace this horse and the lovely thing about him is that he has stamina as well. He'll be a lovely mile or mile-and-a-quarter horse for next year, please God.”
Duke de Sessa is a son of the G3 Give Thanks S. runner-up Dark Crusader (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who is a half to the Listed Yeats S. winner and G3 Stanerra S.-placed Naughty Or Nice (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). The third dam Mosaique Bleue (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), who produced the GI Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup H. hero Subtle Power (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), is a half-sister to the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Muncie (Ire) also by Sadler's Wells, and the G1 Prix Royal-Oak winner Mersey (GB) (Crystal Palace {Fr}). Dark Crusader's yearling and foal are full-brothers to Duke de Sessa.
Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
EYREFIELD S.-G3, €50,000, Leopardstown, 10-23, 2yo, 9fT, 1:56.74, gd.
1–DUKE DE SESSA (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Dark Crusader (Ire) (GSP-Ire, SP-Eng, $141,387), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Monty's Girl (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
3rd Dam: Mosaique Bleue (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (£60,000 RNA Ylg '20 GOFOR). O/B-Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Dermot Weld; J-Colin Keane. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $52,305. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Piz Badile (Ire), 131, c, 2, Ulysses (Ire)–That Which Is Not, by Elusive Quality. O/B-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien. €10,000.
3–Anchorage (Ire), 131, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Vanzara (Fr), by Redoute's Choice (Aus). O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €5,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 5.50, 10.00, 11.00.
Also Ran: French Claim (Fr), Boundless Ocean (Ire), Voice of Angels (GB), Grenoble (GB), Good Heavens (Ire), Lullaby (Ire), Warren Beach (Ire), Glory Daze (Ire), Caroline Herschel (Ire), Allihies (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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