Bright Futures: Promising Maiden Winners in Ireland

In this brief series, TDN will be catching up with the progress of some of last season's more promising maiden winners from Ireland, France and Britain.

Ger Lyons had another solid domestic season by putting 57 on the board, and no horse in his County Meath yard looked more exciting than Glastonbury Song (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}), who was sent off a 4-6 favourite on his debut for a seven-furlong event at Dundalk on Sept. 30, and took it by a stylish 2 1/4 lengths. He is entered in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas.

“He's quite a light, leggy colt and I didn't want to run him on soft ground but I wanted him to have one run before I put him away for the winter,” said Lyons. “We chose Dundalk and it wasn't a surprise that he won as we had him in our top three and Psychedelic Funk (GB) was third in the Coventry S. and Medicine Jack (GB) won a Group 2.”

Lyons continued, “He was slowly away and green but still won well. In a way, you learn less about them when they win and I have no idea of the strength of the race. As he's just a maiden winner, I spoke to the owner and we didn't put him in the G1 English 2000 Guineas. I'd certainly be happy with him winning an Irish Guineas anyway.”

As for how Glastonbury Song will get there, Lyons said, “I would imagine he'll run in one of the trials, or a conditions race somewhere. He'll find his level but I would certainly hope he's a stakes horse. I bought five or six Casamentos; there was never a feeling they would be precocious 2-year-olds, but all bar one won. Unfortunately I struggled to get any last year.”

Aidan O'Brien could doubtless have contributed a dozen maiden winners to the series, although the likes of Churchill (Ire) and Rhododendron (Ire) went on to far bigger things and head the ante-post market for the Classics.

Sir John Lavery (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is already prominent in the betting for the Investec Derby and caught the eye when third to Grandee (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) at the Curragh in early October. He reappeared just eight days later at Gowran Park and cruised home seven lengths clear over a mile. The colt's dam is a half-sister to the top-class Hawk Wing and he has a host of Classic entries. O'Brien reported, “He ran a lovely race first time out at The Curragh then won very nicely at Gowran a week or so later. The plan is for him to run in one of the Derby trials and he has done very well over the winter.”

Cliffs Of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) followed a similar programme, finishing fifth behind the subsequent Group 3 fourth Spanish Tenor (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) at Cork on Oct. 15. A fortnight later, over seven furlongs at Leopardstown, he made most of the running to beat stablemate Orderofthegarter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by 5 1/2 lengths.

Cliffs Of Moher is the first foal of Wave, whose dam Queen Cleopatra (Ire) was third in two Classics as well as being a full-sister to Henrythenavigator.

“He had a lovely run first time out in a Cork maiden and progressed significantly in his next run at Leopardstown, where he won his maiden very easily,” said O'Brien. “He will run in one of the Derby trials. He is another that has wintered well and we are looking forward to him starting off.”

Kevin Prendergast won his second G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2016 with Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), 40 years after claiming his first one. The Classic hero is now at Derrinstown Stud and Shadwell has maintained the partnership by sending Prendergast the half-sister Aneen (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}).

Aneen was staying on nicely on her debut in a fillies' maiden at Leopardstown on Sept. 10 to take fourth behind Rain Goddess (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Exactly a month later, she won a seven-furlong maiden at the Curragh by 4 1/4 lengths.

“She's well entered up and is a half-sister to Classic winner, so we'll have to see how she gets on,” said Prendergast. “It was a good maiden, as Curragh maidens usually are, and the fourth (Tempera {GB}) has won since. She's wintered well, and like all of them, she's just getting rid of her winter coat. We're a few weeks away, so it's much too early to be thinking of races. She'll tell me when she's ready to run.”

Jim Bolger has made three entries for the first Classics of the season at Newmarket and it could be notable that one of them was Godolphin's homebred Zorion (GB) (Smart Strike). Although a maiden at Roscommon is not necessarily a pathway to greatness, Zorion defied inexperience on his debut and could not have been more impressive in coming 6 1/2 lengths away. He is a full-brother to Bolger's Group 3-placed Zip Top (Ire).

“He's very well and I'd say much improved. We're looking forward to him appearing,” said Bolger. “I don't know where he'll be starting off at the moment. If he's to take up Guineas entries he'd be needing to run somewhere first. There aren't going to be many trials in Ireland but I'm sure I'll find something. He's a good size, around 16 hands.”

Titus (GB) (Dansili {GB}) received a glowing report from Dermot Weld after his debut victory at Leopardstown on Oct. 23. The colt, who has an entry in the G1 Investec Derby, is the second foal of Mirror Lake (GB) (Dubai Destination), a dual listed winner for Amanda Perrett, and his half-sister Catchment (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) won over seven furlongs at Kempton last year.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for his owner Khalid Abdullah, said, “Titus had a little setback in January but he's fine now and Dermot seems pleased with him. He hasn't done a whole lot yet but he won't be too delayed in coming back once the season gets going.”

Fozzy Stack will be hoping to make an impression when he officially takes over the County Tipperary stable of his father, Tommy. Several of the yard's juvenile maiden winners have departed for overseas, but Thunder Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) ought to be capable of adding to his total. He got off the mark at the second attempt in a seven-furlong maiden at Dundalk in late December.

“We've gelded him and hopefully he'll go the right way,” said Stack. “We will probably start him off in a handicap in April and he might make up into a horse for something like the Britannia at Royal Ascot.”