By Tom Frary
There was drama at the end of Friday's G3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes at The Curragh, with The Aga Khan Studs' Reyenzi demoted from first to third and Ballydoyle's Thrice handed the prize by the stewards. Judged to have caused sufficient interference to the eventual runner-up a furlong from home to have affected the outcome, the Johnny Murtagh-trained Navan maiden winner who had finished first past the post by a head was stripped of the 10-furlong contest.
That means that Aidan O'Brien has another recognised Derby trial in the bag in 2025, with the son of Wootton Bassett proclaimed the 12-1 winner and the third-placed Emit handed second having been the chief sufferer of the hefty bump. Thrice, who had won his Listowel maiden with authority at two before finishing fourth in Leopardstown's G3 Eyrefield Stakes in October, disappointed when sixth behind stablemate Lambourn in the G3 Chester Vase earlier this month.
Following a lengthy stewards' inquiry, was announced the winner of the Group Three Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh.
Reyenzi was first past the post but demoted into third place. pic.twitter.com/W8SkG4Mdhn
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Thrice is the second foal out of the unraced Mississippilanding, a full-sister to the Listed scorer and multiple Group-placed Giuseppe Garibaldi and also kin to Ace Aussie by Galileo's Australia who was third in the G3 Amethyst Stakes. The family includes Danehill Dancer's multiple Group winner Carribean Sunset who was also placed in the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas, G1 Coronation Stakes and GI Diana Stakes and the German Classic winners Quebrada and Silvester Lady. Mississippilanding's 2-year-old colt Mississippi Shine by Camelot (GB) was a €100,000 purchase by Margaret O'Toole at Goffs Orby Book 1, while she also has a yearling full-sister to the winner.
Friday, Curragh, Ireland
HEIDER FAMILY STABLES GALLINULE STAKES-G3, €60,000, Curragh, 5-23, 3yo, 10fT, 2:04.46, gd.
1–THRICE (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Mississippilanding (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Queenscliff (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
3rd Dam: Bonheur (Ire), by Royal Academy
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €12,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-1, $31,824. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Emit (Ire), 131, c, 3, Too Darn Hot (GB)–Light Of Joy, by Kitten's Joy.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd; T-Joseph O'Brien. €6,000.
*3–Reyenzi (Fr), 131, c, 3, Saxon Warrior (Jpn)–Reynira (Ire), by Lope De Vega (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-H H The Aga Khan Studs; T-Johnny Murtagh. €36,000.
Margins: HD, HD, 2HF. Odds: 12.00, 7.50, 2.50.
Also Ran: Shackleton (Ire), Tiberius Thunder (Ire). Scratched: Dawn Spirit (Ire).
*Reyenzi finished first, but was disqualified and placed third.
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