Tag: Three-year-olds

Richest Race Ever Run at Gowran Park Headlines New Spring Series

A new Spring Series of median sires races has been added to the Irish Flat racing calendar for 2024 and beyond in what is a significant boost to the three-year-old programme for middle-distance horses. In an announcement made by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the Irish European Breeders' Fund (Irish EBF) and Gowran Park Racecourse on Monday, the Spring Series will conclude with the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic–the richest race ever held at Gowran Park–on Bank Holiday Monday, June 3.

Three-year-olds with a median price of no more than €75,000 will be able to take part in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, with entries for the race, run over nine and a half furlongs, set to close on Wednesday, March 13. The winner will receive an automatic free entry into the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday, June 30. This applies to both colts and fillies.

Six races, each worth at least €25,000, make up the series which offers total prize-money of €330,000. The Curragh, Navan and Cork will host four maiden races between them–two for fillies only–and each of these races will be restricted to three-year-olds whose sires achieved a median price of not more than €50,000 in 2022.

A median price of €75,000 will apply to runners in the €30,000 Irish Stallions Farms EBF 3yo Spring Series Race held at Roscommon on Monday, May 13. The same median price restriction will apply to runners in the €200,000 series finale.

There will be free entry, sponsored by Irish Stallion Farms, for all racegoers at Gowran Park on Bank Holiday Monday, June 3 and the racecourse's manager, Eddie Scally, said, “Gowran Park are really excited to host the inaugural €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, the region's richest Flat race.

“This race will form part of an action-packed day both on and off the track this June Bank Holiday Monday with live music and a massive family fun day. We hope the Gowran Classic will attract all the top trainers and riders from both Ireland and abroad and see for themselves the warm Kilkenny welcome.”

Joe Foley, chairman of the Irish EBF, added, “Irish Stallion Farms already sponsor two successful series for two-year-olds, the auction and median series with 27 races in each and a combined value of nearly €850,000.

“We felt it important to develop a similar series for later developing middle-distance three-year-olds; hence the Spring Series was initiated with the valuable €200,000 race at Gowran as its centrepiece. We look forward to seeing this three-year-old series grow and develop and are delighted to support Gowran Park racecourse in particular, who are investing heavily in their facilities.”

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Ten Three-Year-Olds To Follow in 2024

Adam Houghton picks out 10 once-raced three-year-olds with the potential to make an impact in Pattern races in 2024.

INISHERIN (GB), c, 3, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Ajman Princess (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Reem Three (GB), by Mark Of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Jumaireyah (GB), by Fairy King
Owner: Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum
Breeder: Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum
Trainer: Kevin Ryan

Bred by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, Inisherin is the second foal out of the G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), one of seven black-type performers and six black-type winners for the remarkable Mark Of Esteem (Ire) mare Reem Three (GB). Ajman Princess's siblings include the G1 Queen Anne S. winner Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Ostilio (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), plus the unraced Rosaline (Ire), a full-sister to Ostilio who is perhaps best known as the dam of last year's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}). Inisherin didn't scale anything like the same heights as Rosallion as a two-year-old, but his sole run when finishing second in a Newmarket maiden in September was full of promise, faring best of the newcomers as he passed the post just half a length behind Bellum Justum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was able to put his experience to good use on his fourth start. G1 Irish 2000 Guineas entry Inisherin should stay at least 10 furlongs and it will be no surprise if he becomes just the latest in a long line of black-type performers in his illustrious family.

LOVE DYNASTY (FR), f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Geisha Girl (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Multicolour Wave (Ire), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Echoes (Fr), by Niniski
Owner: Clipper Logistics
Breeder: Rabbah Bloodstock Limited
Trainer: William Haggas

Bought for 190,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Love Dynasty sports the familiar Clipper Logistics colours and did so with distinction when making a winning debut in a seven-furlong fillies' novice event at Newmarket in November. In a race run in very testing conditions, Love Dynasty could hardly have created a better impression as she tanked into contention from the rear of the field before drawing right away in the final furlong to win by two and a half lengths with plenty in hand. By Dubawi (Ire) and out of the unraced Galileo (Ire) mare Geisha Girl (Ire), Love Dynasty is thus bred on the same cross as the multiple Group 1 winners Ghaiyyath (Ire) and Night Of Thunder (Ire). For good measure, Geisha Girl is a half-sister to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Elusive Wave (Ire) (Elusive City) and it's not out of the question that Love Dynasty could follow in that one's footsteps by developing into a Classic contender herself, such was the promise of that debut victory in the autumn.

MAP OF STARS (GB), c, 3, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Bateel (Ire), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Attractive Crown, by Chief's Crown
3rd Dam: Attirance (Fr), by Crowned Prince
Owner: Al Asayl France
Breeder: Al Asayl France
Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard

Al Asayl France's homebred Map Of Stars is the second foal out of the Dubawi (Ire) mare Bateel (Ire), a classy performer who won the Listed Fred Archer S. at Newmarket as a four-year-old when trained in Britain by David Simcock. She later joined the Francis-Henri Graffard stable and became a prolific pattern-race winner in France where her wins included the G1 Prix Vermeille and G2 Prix de Pomone as a five-year-old and the G2 Prix Corrida as a six-year-old. By Sea The Stars (Ire), a trusty source of high-class middle-distance performers, Map Of Stars is bred more for stamina than speed–his dam was Group 3-placed over nearly two miles–and he was never stronger than at the finish when powering home to beat his fellow newcomers in a nine-furlong maiden at Longchamp in October, ultimately winning by a length. Graffard looks to have another smart one on his hands in this colt and a tilt at something like the G1 Prix du Jockey Club could well be on the cards if he progresses as expected during the coming months.

 

 

MEYDAAN (IRE), c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Nezwaah (GB), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ferdoos (GB), by Dansili (GB)
3rd Dam: Blaze Of Colour (GB), by Rainbow Quest
Owner: Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Simon and Ed Crisford

Late-season maidens run on the all-weather at Newcastle are always worth a second look these days, a breeding ground of future champions and where the likes of Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) gained their first career wins. Meydaan clearly has a long way to go before we can start mentioning him in that illustrious company, but he made the best possible start to his career when winning a 10-furlong maiden at Gosforth Park in November, just needing to be pushed out by Jack Mitchell to win by a length and three-quarters. Simon and Ed Crisford won the same race in 2022 with Chesspiece (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire})–subsequently Group 3-placed as a three-year-old–and Meydaan looks another black-type performer for the stable in the making, in keeping with his regal breeding. By Frankel (GB) and out of the Dubawi (Ire) mare Nezwaah (GB)–who won the G1 Pretty Polly S. as a four-year-old–Meydaan is bred on the same cross as Classic winners Adayar (Ire) and Homeless Songs (Ire), plus the multiple Group 1 hero Mostahdaf (Ire).

 

 

NIGHT RAIDER (IRE), c, 3, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Dorraar (Ire), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Dorrati, by Dubai Millennium (GB)
3rd Dam: Bahr (GB), by Generous (Ire)
Owner: Clipper Logistics
Breeder: Linden Bloodstock Ltd
Trainer: Karl Burke

Few all-weather winners during the winter raised as many eyebrows as Night Raider, who could hardly have been more impressive when running away with a seven-furlong novice event on his debut at Southwell in December, easing clear throughout the final furlong, under a motionless Danny Tudhope, to win by nine lengths. Together with G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and the aforementioned Love Dynasty, Night Raider features in an exciting group of three-year-olds the Clippers Logistics team has put together for 2024 having been brought into the fold when bought for 155,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. He is the fourth foal out of the winning Shamardal mare Dorraar (Ire), who now has a record of three winners from as many runners, with the others including the G3 Palace House S. winner Far Above (Ire) (Farhh {GB}). Far Above was an out-and-out sprinter–and so too are most of the better horses produced by Dark Angel (Ire)–but G1 Irish 2000 Guineas entry Night Raider should stay a mile and isn't one to underestimate when he steps up in grade.

 

 

PURPLE LILY (IRE), f, 3, by Calyx (GB)
1st Dam: Boca Raton (Ire), by Approve (Ire)
2nd Dam: Kaaba (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Konigsalpen (Ger), by Second Set (Ire)
Owner: Zinlo Syndicate
Breeder: B O'Neill
Trainer: Paddy Twomey

Purple Lily made her debut at the Galway Festival in August, lining up in what is typically one of the strongest fillies' maidens run in Ireland all year, with Classic winners such as Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) all having got off the mark in the race in the last decade. Sent off favourite against some well-credentialed runners from the stables of Dermot Weld, Jim Bolger, Aidan O'Brien and Joseph O'Brien, Purple Lily is clearly held in some regard and her connections will have been pleased by what they saw in the race itself as she overcame greenness to run out a ready winner, finishing strongly once the penny dropped to beat Weld's subsequent winner Tannola (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) by a neck. A first-crop daughter of Calyx (GB) and out of a half-sister to the G1 Irish Oaks third Lady's Secret (Ire) (Alzao), Purple Lily was a €155,000-purchase at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-up Sale having previously sold for €17,500 as a foal and €24,000 as a yearling. She's entered in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Irish Oaks and her future looks very bright indeed for the Paddy Twomey yard which continues to go from strength to strength.

 

 

ROADSHOW (IRE), c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Acapulco, by Scat Daddy
2nd Dam: Global Finance, by End Sweep
3rd Dam: Friendly Wave, by Pentelicus
Owner: Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Mrs John Magnier
Breeder: Coolmore Stud
Trainer: Andre Fabre

Coolmore homebred Roadshow is the second runner out of Wesley Ward's flying filly Acapulco (Scat Daddy), who memorably won the G2 Queen Mary S. before filling the runner-up spot when taking on older horses in the G1 Nunthorpe S. as a two-year-old. Acapulco later joined Aidan O'Brien for whom she won her only start in the Listed Sole Power Sprint S. as a four-year-old before retiring to the paddocks. Acapulco's first runner, a full-sister to Roadshow named So Beautiful (Ire), also went into training at Ballydoyle but failed to get off the mark in four starts. Roadshow, on the other hand, had little trouble in opening his account at the first attempt for Andre Fabre, easily winning a maiden at Saint-Cloud in October as he drew clear in the closing stages for a three-and-a-half-length success, with his beaten rivals including the subsequent dual winner Yoox (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). That race was run over seven and a half furlongs and Roadshow will be suited by at least a mile as a three-year-old, like so many sons and daughters of Galileo (Ire) out of sprinting mares. He couldn't be in better hands and will be one to look out for in a Classic trial in the spring.

 

 

RUBIES ARE RED (IRE), f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Red Evie (Ire), by Intikhab
2nd Dam: Malafemmena (Ire), by Nordico
3rd Dam: Martinova (GB), by Martinmas (GB)
Owner: Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, Mrs John Magnier and Westerberg
Breeder: Coolmore Stud
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

The aforementioned Galileo remains on the brink of a major milestone as the sire of 99 individual Group/Grade 1 winners, already having smashed the all-time record of 84 previously held by Danehill. There isn't necessarily a standout candidate among the older horses to take Galileo into three-figures in 2024, so it could come down to a penultimate crop of three-year-olds which includes a whole host of promising sorts, many of whom we've only scratched the surface with. Rubies Are Red is a perfect case in point, a Coolmore homebred out of the G1 Matron S. and G1 Lockinge S. winner Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab), already the dam of four black-type winners by Galileo, including the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Found (Ire) and the G3 Give Thanks S. winner Best In The World (Ire), perhaps best known as the dam of the multiple Classic winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Rubies Are Red caught the eye on her only two-year-old start over a mile at Galway in October, finishing a staying-on third having been hampered at a crucial stage of that fillies' maiden, and she looks the type to leave that form well behind when tackling middle-distances as a three-year-old.

 

 

SONS AND LOVERS (GB), c, 3, by Study Of Man (Ire)
1st Dam: So In Love (GB), by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Soft Morning (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Summer Night (GB), by Nashwan
Owner: Mr and Mrs H Morriss and Miss K Rausing
Breeder: Miss K Rausing
Trainer: Jane Chapple-Hyam

Lanwades Stud resident Study Of Man (Ire) had nine individual winners in Europe from his first crop of juveniles in 2023, headed by the G2 Beresford S. winner Deepone (GB). His progeny can be expected to improve with time and distance given that he raced only once as a two-year-old himself before going on to win the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at three, so it bodes well for the future prospects of Sons And Lovers that he was able to emulate his sire by winning his sole juvenile start, in a seven-furlong maiden at Newmarket in October, despite looking far from the finished article. Sons And Lovers was held up in the early stages and it was only in the final strides that he edged ahead to get the verdict by a head and spring a mild surprise at odds of 33/1. Bred by Kirsten Rausing, the owner of Lanwades, Sons And Lovers was bought by trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam for €40,000 at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale. Rausing retained a share and races the colt in partnership with her friend Hugo Morriss and his late wife Maya, who was at Newmarket for the colt's victory and died the following month. He is out of the Smart Strike (Can) mare So In Love (GB), who was Listed-placed in France on multiple occasions and is herself out of the Listed winner/Group 3-placed Soft Morning (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

TRUE CYAN (IRE), f, 3, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Realtra (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Devious Diva (Ire), by Dr Devious (Ire)
3rd Dam: Dawn Chorus (Ire), by Mukaddamah
Owner: KHK Racing Ltd
Breeder: Barronstown Stud
Trainer: Roger Varian

The Dark Angel (Ire) mare Realtra (Ire) proved herself a tough and consistent performer over four seasons of racing at a high level, initially with Richard Fahey before joining Roger Varian halfway through her three-year-old campaign. She went on to win six times for Varian, notably landing the G3 Sceptre S. at three before returning to win twice more at that level at five having missed most of her four-year-old season. Realtra's first foal, Divinitus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), failed to win either of her two starts for Andre Fabre, but True Cyan immediately looked a filly cut from the same cloth as her dam when making a successful debut for the Varian yard in a seven-furlong fillies' maiden at Newmarket in September, quickening smartly from rear to win by a length and a half from a pair of next-time-out winners who completed the frame. Sporting the colours of KHK Racing having been bought for £150,000 at the Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze-up Sale, True Cyan has the potential to live up to that price tag and more, with a Guineas trial likely to be her first port of call in the spring.

 

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