Romantic Proposal Upsets Flying Five At The Curragh, Earns BC Turf Sprint Berth

The Clipper Logistics Group-owned 5-year-old mare Romantic Proposal (IRE) ran out a surprise winner of the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at The Curragh in County Kildare, Ireland, and earned an automatic berth into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

In the second “Win and You're In” race on the card, the Jessica Harrington-trained Discoveries (IRE) secured an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a victory in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, over 7 furlongs.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

The Eddie Lynam-trained Romantic Proposal (IRE) was sent off a 16-1 outsider for the G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, having finished third in the Group 2 Paddy Power Sapphire Stakes over course and distance on her most recent start.

Ridden by Chris Hayes, Romantic Proposal (IRE) came with a strong late run to beat the Ado McGuinness-trained A Case Of You (IRE) by a half-length into second, with last year's winner and reigning Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint champion Glass Slippers (GB) in third, losing the place spot in the final yards. Dragon Symbol (GB), the 5-2 favorite, finished fourth.

Winning trainer Lynam, who enjoyed Group 1 success with top sprinters Sole Power (GB) and Slade Power (IRE) said: “She'd been progressive. We ran her over a mile first time out and she was placed, then we dropped her back to seven furlongs and she's just kept improving. I always believed the filly was capable of running a big race and she's done everything great. I think it's six years since I've had a Group 1 winner and it's nice to have another one.”

A daughter of Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass (USA) out of the Diktat (GB) mare Playwithmyheart (GB), Romantic Proposal (IRE) completed the 5 furlongs in a time of :59.77 on a course rated as good.

Discoveries Delivers in Moyglare Stud Stakes

Niarchos Family's 2-year-old filly Discoveries (IRE) stormed to success in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes to gain an automatic entry for the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Shane Foley, who teamed up to win the Group 1 Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday, Discoveries (IRE) was third behind Agartha (IRE) and Sunset Shiraz (IRE) in the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes in her last start. The same three fillies fought out the finish today, with Discoveries (IRE) staying on best of all to win by three-quarters of a length, with Agartha coming in second and Sunset Shiraz finishing third. A daughter of Mastercraftsman (IRE) out of the Rahy (USA) mare Alpha Lupi (IRE), Discoveries (IRE) completed the contest in 1:27.10.

Winning trainer Harrington said: “This filly was green first time she ran and then she won her maiden. We hoped she'd win the Alpha Centauri Debutante, but the ground came up soft that day and she goes on top of the ground.”

A full sister to Group 1-winning miler Alpha Centauri (IRE) and a half-sister to Group 1 winning-miler Alpine Star (IRE), Discoveries (IRE) will step up to that distance according to her trainer, though no immediate targets have been decided. Harrington said, “We think she'll improve again, but today is the day. She'll get a mile no doubt.”

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for both Romantic Proposal and Discoveries to start at Del Mar. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

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Flying Five Glory For Raven’s Pass’ Romantic Proposal

Eddie Lynam has done more than most to revive the Irish sprinting scene from the doldrums and he was in the limelight again at the end of Sunday's G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five S. at The Curragh with the mare Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass). Sent off at 16-1 with just a win in this track's Listed Dubai Duty Free Dash S. to recommend her in a deep renewal, Clipper Logistics' 5-year-old was held up early by Chris Hayes towards the stand's rail before being switched to track the accomplished Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) and Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead) three lanes wide. Always travelling with menace, she split those English raiders in the last 75 yards and asserted to beat her compatriot A Case of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) by half a length, with a neck back to last year's winner Glass Slippers in third, in this “Win and You're In” contest for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar in November.

“I thought if the rain got into the ground, she had a chance and I quietly fancied her,” Hayes said. “When you're riding for Eddie Lynam in a sprint you are always going to have some sort of chance. When I rode earlier, I knew the ground was juicy and I knew they would go hard and that she would stay. I wanted to ride her cool knowing that she'll come home and I thought she could be in the first three.”

Something of a slow-burner, Romantic Proposal enjoyed her first big day when winning the valuable Scurry H. over an extended six furlongs here last July before finishing fourth in the Listed Curragh Sprint S. and G3 Renaissance S. over six back at this venue. Having started out over a mile as a 3-year-old, she was asked to drop to this trip on her 2021 bow and managed a third in the Listed Sole Power Sprint S. at Naas May 16 before returning here to be runner-up in the June 2 G3 Ballyogan S. reverting to six. Finally making it count in the Dash also over six on the Irish Derby undercard June 26, the bay was adrift of Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Gustavus Weston (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}) when third in the G2 Sapphire S. over this course and distance last time July 17.

Hayes, who rode the 2015 Flying Five winner Sole Power (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) for this stable, timed this to perfection but was not inclined to self-praise after the event. “There's no point in hiding it, I could have been better on her the last day,” he said. “I rode her with too much confidence on ground which was quick the last day and I met a wall of horses and had to switch.. Today was different, but Eddie said to leave her go forward and she loved it. I still got there too soon. She had been trained for today–Eddie specifically put her away for it and it felt like slow motion for me. I was always confident I was going to get them and I knew she would quicken through that gap on this ground.”

Lynam, who began the turnaround for the Irish sprinters with Sole Power following a lengthy period of seeing the category's major prizes carried off to Britain, commented, “Steve Parkin and Joe Foley let me do what I want and are very easy to train for. My daughter Amy bought her as a foal and bought Soffia as a foal, so you won't see me down to buy many at the sales in future! I always believe an improving filly like her was capable of running a big race and she did everything great. It's six years since I had a group 1 winner–I had gone 30 years without having one and didn't know what they were like, but when you get a bit of a taste for it you want more.”

“I only have 30 horses and [daughter] Sarah has 11. We have a smaller team, but I'm happy and I'm not looking for 100 horses. I'd just like the good ones, to be honest, but they are hard to come by. We are still passionate about it. She's improving and getting faster and I think she'll probably go for the [Oct. 3 G1 Prix de l'] Abbaye–I always thought she needed it soft, but she handled that well and the track at Longchamp doesn't get used much and never gets too bad. I'll talk to Steve, but he wants to keep her in training next year so hats off to him.”

A Case of You was finding his form again for trainer Adrian McGuinness, who said of the runner-up, “He'd been working very well–things went a little wrong in the summer and when l saw a bit of ease in the ground I was happy. He got a peach of a ride and it's my first runner in a group 1 in Ireland. It's onwards and upwards for him and he has loads of opportunities and can travel. I knew he'd stay very well and he's going to improve again. He's not entered in the Abbaye, which is disappointing, but after this I could supplement him.”

Romantic Proposal is out of Playwithmyheart (GB) (Diktat {GB}), who is kin to the G1 Prix de la Foret hero Toylsome (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) and the G3 Firth of Clyde S. winner Coral Mist (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}). Toylsome's full-sister What a Treasure (Ire) produced the Listed Yeats S. scorer and G1 Futurity Trophy third Western Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and the Listed Fairway S. winner Hoarding (Elusive Quality), while the third dam River Jig (Irish River {Fr}) is responsible for the GII Buena Vista H. heroine Dance Parade. She is in turn the dam of the G1 St Leger and G1 Gold Cup hero Leading Light (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Playwithmyheart's unraced 3-year-old colt by Mastercraftsman (Ire) is named White Marlin (Ire).

Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
DERRINSTOWN STUD FLYING FIVE S.-G1, €336,000, Curragh, 9-12, 3yo/up, 5fT, :59.77, gd.
1–ROMANTIC PROPOSAL (IRE), 129, m, 5, by Raven's Pass
     1st Dam: Playwithmyheart (GB), by Diktat (GB)
     2nd Dam: Treasure Trove, by The Minstrel
     3rd Dam: River Jig, by Irish River (Fr)
1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€25,000 Wlg '16 GOFNOV; €55,000 Ylg '17 GOFOR). O-Clipper Logistics Group Ltd; B-Fastnet Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Eddie Lynam; J-Chris Hayes. €180,000. Lifetime Record: 17-5-3-3, $376,537. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–A Case of You (Ire), 131, c, 3, Hot Streak (Ire)–Karjera (Ire), by Key of Luck. (€3,000 RNA Ylg '19 GOFSPT). O-Gary Devlin; B-Limestone and Tara Studs (IRE); T-Adrian McGuinness. €60,000.
3–Glass Slippers (GB), 129, m, 5, Dream Ahead–Night Gypsy (GB), by Mind Games (GB). O/B-Bearstone Stud Ltd (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. €30,000.
Margins: HF, NK, HF. Odds: 16.00, 33.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Dragon Symbol (GB), Rohaan (Ire), Gustavus Weston (Ire), Strong Johnson (Ire), Significantly (GB), Measure of Magic (Ire), Winter Power (Ire), Mooneista (Ire), Frenetic (Ire), Back To Brussels (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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