By Tom Frary
If you can get within six lengths of Ka Ying Rising, you've got above-average ability and Comanche Brave (Wootton Bassett) came back from his Chairman's Sprint Prize experience to hammer that home in Saturday's G2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes.
Sent off the 7-4 favourite for the Curragh contest, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained four-year-old who was having only his third career start at this six-furlong trip followed the pace with ease.
Committed by Ryan Moore passing two out, Muhaideb Almuhaideb's colour-bearer stretched to an authoritative two-length success from course specialist Big Gossey (Gutaifan), with James's Delight (Invincible Army) a further half a length away in third.
Royal Ascot again beckons for the winner, who was third in the G3 Jersey Stakes last year. This time, it will be the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. “I wanted to go sprinting with him for a while and I thought a few times along the way that it was stupid, but thankfully it wasn't,” Donnacha O'Brien said. “He's a good horse and he's getting better. He was nearly a very good horse over a mile and sprinters take a little bit of time to get used to that kind of pace.”
“He wasn't disgraced by any means against useful horses in behind Ka Ying Rising and I think he's taken another step up today,” he added. “You need that maturity and strength against older sprinters and he's really starting get that. I hope he's going to be a proper horse, I think he could be. The owner, Mr Almuhaideb, bought him after he ran in Abu Dhabi, to run in Saudi Arabia. It's very nice to have a good horse for him, he's bought another breezer from me as well. Hopefully, we can have a good time at Ascot.”
Fifth behind the mighty Ka Ying Rising last month, Comanche Brave dominates back on home soil in the Group 2 @weatherbysltd Greenlands Stakes for Ryan Moore and Donnacha O'Brien @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/CpramQf1xI
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2026
Pedigree Notes
Comanche Brave is out of the Jersey winner Ishvana (Holy Roman Emperor), who was also runner-up in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. She is a full-sister to the dam of No Nay Never's Listed Star Appeal Stakes winner Mountain Bear who was placed in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and Turf Mile at the highest level. From the excellent Ballymacoll family of Hellenic (Darshaan) et al, she also has Wootton Bassett's unraced three-year-old filly Existence.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
WEATHERBYS IRELAND GREENLANDS STAKES-G2, €130,000, Curragh, 5-23, 4yo/up, 6fT, 1:09.66, gd.
1–COMANCHE BRAVE (IRE), 131, c, 4, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Ishvana (Ire) (GSW-Eng & G1SP-Ire, $183,936), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
2nd Dam: Song Of The Sea (GB), by Bering (GB)
3rd Dam: Calypso Run (GB), by Lycius
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Muhaideb A Almuhaideb; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd; T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €78,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng & KSA, SP-UAE, 13-3-2-4, $600,358. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Big Gossey (Ire), 131, g, 9, Gutaifan (Ire)–Toy Show (Ire), by Danehill. (€21,000 RNA Wlg '17 GOFNOV). O-Allegro Syndicate; B-E Heary (IRE); T-Charles O'Brien. €26,000.
3–James's Delight (Ire), 131, g, 5, Invincible Army (Ire)–Heavens Peak (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (€16,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; €55,000 Ylg '22 GOFSPT). O-Paul & Clare Rooney; B-Newtown Stud; T-Clive Cox. €13,000.
Margins: 2, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.75, 18.00, 7.00.
Also Ran: Bucanero Fuerte (GB), Montassib (GB), Fregada (Ire), Powerful Glory (Ire), Chicago Critic (GB), Valiant Force, Spycatcher (Ire). Scratched: Marvelman (Ire).
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