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TDN Horses of the Year: Moss Tucker

We all have our favourites, and this week members of TDN Europe's editorial team each select a horse who provided particular enjoyment in 2023. Kicking off the series, Brian Sheerin puts forward the case for the sprinter whose victory in the G1 Flying Five was made all the more special by his human connections.

I don't know about you, but I love an underdog story. Perhaps that is why I fell in love with National Hunt racing at a young age.

Danoli (Ire), Bobbyjo (Ire) and Papillon (Ire) developed something of a cult following in the late nineties and early noughties in Ireland while Flemenstar (Ire) is another who caught the imagination when mopping up a host of Grade 1s for the late Peter Casey, one of the game's great characters.

Sadly, it has been far too long since racing has supplied its audience with a narrative to grab hold of. Not only that, but the David and Goliath stories that we used to dine out on in the jumps sphere are now few and far between.

The tables have turned. It seems as though the smaller trainers and owners can now hold genuine hopes of coming across a horse capable of mixing it at the highest level on the Flat. It's just not the same over jumps any more.

Take Moss Tucker (Ire) winning the Flying Five for example. Already a Classic-winning trainer, Ken Condon is hardly what you would describe as a smaller trainer, but this is a result that resonated with many given that the horse was bred by his owner and former Munster rugby legend Donal Spring. Part of the Munster side which famously took the scalp of the All Blacks in Thomond Park back in 1978, Spring has a history of producing sporting shocks.

Moss Tucker, named in honour of Spring's teammates, the late Moss Keane and Colm Tucker, was said to have about as much chance of winning the Flying Five as the experts gave that fabled Munster side of blindsiding the All Blacks. But therein lies the beauty of sport.

Moss Tucker embodied everything that is brilliant about the game, chewing up the script and spitting out high-class sprinters like Highfield Princess (Fr), Bradsell (GB) and Art Power (Ire) in the process.

It must be said, the heavy rain that fell before the race was in Moss Tucker's favour. But take nothing away from Condon's charge, who fought tooth and nail for his big day and was thoroughly deserving of a breakthrough win at the highest level.

But it's the human side of this story that propels Moss Tucker to being one of the results of the year. You will be hard pressed to find a man who is as well-liked and respected universally as Condon. One of racing's good guys, Condon goes about his business in an understated manner and Moss Tucker proved once again that he is deadly when given the ammunition.

By Excelebration (Ire) and out of a mare who won twice over hurdles as well as on the Flat, where she reached a modest mark of 76, Moss Tucker would have raised few predictions of Group 1 aspirations, not least over sprint distances. But here is a horse who has benefited from Condon's softly-softly approach, culminating with that big-race triumph at the Irish Champions Festival on his 30th racecourse start.

It should also be noted that Moss Tucker winning the Flying Five came off the back of a below-par season by Condon's high standards.

He has trained just nine winners in 2023, down from 17 in 2022 and 18 in the Classic-winning season the Curragh operator sent out Romanised (Ire) to land the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2020.

To produce a result like Moss Tucker winning the Flying Five, one of the most fiercely-contested sprints in Europe, off the back of a difficult season is a measure of what a good trainer Condon is.

Billy Lee riding Moss Tucker sugar-coated what was one of the sweetest successes of the year. Criminally under-appreciated, Lee is pound-for-pound one of the best riders in Britain and Ireland and would almost certainly have been crowned champion in his native country by now had God blessed him by being an inch or two shorter.

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John Quinn: ‘Flying Five-Bound Highfield Princess The Best I’ve Trained’

John Quinn has showered star sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) with praise and described the G1 Flying Five-bound filly as the best he's trained.

Highfield Princess is chasing a third Group 1 win on the spin when she lines out in Sunday's Flying Five S. at the Curragh, one of the feature races of Longines Irish Champions Weekend and Quinn, a native of County Tipperary who has been based in England for the majority of his racing career, is in no doubt that the speedball is the best he's trained.

That's not to say that Highfield Princess was always talked about in such vaunted terms. She may be one of the fastest racehorses around, but Highfield Princess would never have made big money at the sales, given she is noticeably off in front. However, Quinn has always had a soft spot for the way the filly goes about her business.

He recalls, “She had a nice demeanor as a 2-year-old but was backward. She's a typical Night Of Thunder, she's not correct in front and is well off on one, but, funnily enough, she's a wonderful mover. She has great fluidity. You get some horses who are not correct and they move terribly because they can't move any other way. But this filly stretches.”

Quinn added, “This is the best horse we've ever had. We've been lucky to have top-class Flat horses and a few top-class jumpers as well.

“We've had Cheltenham and Aintree winners, won the Queen Mary with Signora Cabello (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) and The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) won the Coventry S. and was champion 2-year-old in France, so we've been lucky to have had some very good horses, but she's the best. She's a phenomenal filly.”

And this phenomenal filly sets a daunting standard at the Curragh on Sunday. She was a brilliant winner of the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August and was even better in landing the G1 Nunthorpe S. in rare style at York. While Quinn doesn't do confidence, he expects a bold show from his stable star this weekend.

He said, “These Group 1s, they're hard races to win and the rain is coming and there's a few horses in there that will appreciate the ease in the ground. We just want to get her down to the start on Sunday and take it from there.”

Quinn will also be represented on Irish Champions Weekend by Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), who runs in the “Sovereign Path” H. at Leopardstown on Saturday.

It was at Leopardstown where Safe Voyage recorded one of his career highlights when landing the G2 Boomerang Mile at this meeting in 2020 and Quinn has already been in the winner's enclosure in Ireland this season when Mr Wagyu (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) landed the Scurry H. at the Curragh in July.

In short, Quinn knows a thing or two about bagging big-race riches on home soil and, on returning home to Ireland with leading contenders this weekend, he added, “I love Ireland–I think about Ireland every day. I've been in England a long time but it's great to go back with nice horses. We only like to go back over when we think we have a big chance.”

Along with being well able to plunder big prizes on the track, Quinn has earned a reputation of being a good man to source a bargain off it, and recalls how neither The Wow Signal nor Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) would have won any beauty pageants.

Despite this, both horses flew the flag for the Quinn stable with great distinction and the trainer is hopeful of picking up a few stars of the future at the yearling sales.

He said, “We got five at Doncaster, which is great, and Sean [son and assistant trainer] was at the Somerville Sale where we underbid a few. The first racing yard I went to when I was younger was Edward O'Grady's and my grandfather was a good stock man so I've picked up plenty down the years. We like a horse with a lot of quality and a bit of scope. You will forgive plenty in a horse if you think you can train them.

“I like to have a look at a horse from the side and like something with a good bit of heart room and a good hind leg. I've never had a good horse with a bad head–I hear some fellas saying they like a horse with small ears but I couldn't subscribe to that.

“Like everything in this game, you live and learn but you want a horse with a nice step, good bone and a nice outlook with a kind eye.”

He added, “The Wow Signal was incorrect in front but he was a phenomenal horse. Liberty Beach was another. She was ordinary enough to look at and had a very ordinary pedigree but, the minute she came into the yard, I said to Sean, 'I like the look of that, she could be a racehorse.' Highfield Princess would never have made big money but she always looked like a racehorse and that's what you want.”

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McGuinness Predicts A Case Of You To Fire In Flying Five

Ado McGuinness does not expect the lack of a recent run to count against A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) when the trainer's stable star tackles the G1 Flying Five S. at the Curragh on Sunday.

A Case Of You has recorded two wins at the highest level since joining McGuinness's stable but hasn't been seen since posting a poor run in the Platinum Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot.

That effort can be put down to the fact that A Case Of You returned from the royal meeting with a virus, according to McGuinness, who is predicting a much better performance on Irish Champions Weekend.

McGuinness said, “The horse wasn't right [after Ascot]. We did a few tests on him and he was recovering from a virus after it.

“He must have picked up something. Where, I don't know, but we gave him a good break.”

The trainer added, “He's fine now, he's in great form and looks a million dollars. The fact he hasn't run since Ascot doesn't concern me. If he was a three-mile chaser it might do but he's a five-furlong sprinter, he's got to run for 57 or 58 seconds, so it's not too bad.”

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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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