Classic winner Flag of Honour (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Hawala {Ire}, by Warning {GB}), who won the G1 Irish St. Leger in 2018, will retire to the National Stud for 2020. A fee for the former Aidan O'Brien/Coolmore partnership runner will be announced later. Bred by Barronstown Stud, the February-foaled colt won the G3 Eyrefield S. as a juvenile and rattled off three-straight victories in the G2 Curragh Cup and G3 Ballycullen Irish St. Leger Trial immediately prior to the St. Leger in 2018. Kept in training as a 4-year-old, he ran with credit to take second in three more group stakes, including the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup in May. He retires with a mark of 16-5-3-1 and $725,244 in earnings.
“We are delighted to offer Flag of Honour as a dual purpose prospect on behalf of Mr. Trevor Hemmings's Gleadhill House Stud,” said National Stud Director Tim Lane. “He ticks a lot of the right boxes for breeders; he is a Group 1 Classic-winning son of the great Galileo, and had the speed to win at group level as a 2-year old before developing into a high-class 3- and 4-year old. He showed tremendous class, toughness and consistency throughout his career. We feel there is definitely a gap in the market in Britain for a horse of his calibre.”
Added trainer Aidan O'Brien, “Flag of Honour was a very tough and genuine horse that handled all types of ground.”
Out of the winning Hawala, Flag of Honour is a half-brother to G3 Minstrel S. victor and G1 Phoenix S. runner-up Air Chief Marshal (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}); MSW & GSP Slip Dance (Ire) (Celtic Swing {GB})–the granddam of MSW & GISP Awesome Tank (GB) (Intense Focus); MSW Misu Bond (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and G1SP Foxtrot Romeo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). This is the extended family of G1 Italian Derby hero Houmayoun (Fr) (Shernazar {Ire}).
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