By Tom Frary
Leaving his debut education far behind him on Monday, Ballydoyle's $1million Keeneland September sensation Shaftesbury Avenue (Maxfield) imposed his considerable presence on his maiden at Navan.
Fitted with cheekpieces following his third at The Curragh earlier this month, the 2-1 second favourite was sent forward by Wayne Lordan to put it up to his 14 rivals in the near-mile contest and had seen off all bar Tashakour (Night Of Thunder) approaching the final two furlongs.
Briefly headed by that Aga Khan Studs representative, the imposing half-brother to Not This Time's triple Grade I winner Up To The Mark surged on late to record a comprehensive 1 3/4-length success.
“He's a lovely colt, but he's his own worst enemy in that he doesn't do a stroke and doesn't show you everything,” Lordan said. “I knew he'd find plenty when something came to me and he'll stay well. Because he's lazy and parks up in front, he's an improver. I thought he had the class to get away with winning his maiden over a trip short of his best and he did.”
Stable representative Chris Armstrong added, “In fairness, as you can see from him walking around, he's a massive, big horse and he just took time last year. He'll make up into a lovely horse and we will just go gentle with him and probably give him a bit of time.”
Despite his obvious potential, the winner is unlikely to be asked to head into Classic action. “He might even come back here for possibly the [May 16] Royal County [Handicap] over a mile and a-quarter,” Armstrong stated. “He will make up into a Stakes horse, but there's no rush. Obviously his two runs, with the way the weather is at the moment, have been with an ease in the ground but Wayne says he will appreciate better ground which is good so it gives you a lot of options.”
Shaftsbury Avenue was bought at the Fasig-Tipton November Foal Sale for $500,000 by Gainesway's Brian Graves, who later sold the son of Maxfield to Coolmore's MV Magnier for $1 million at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Graves commented, “I thought he was one of the best foals in the November sale, if not the single best foal. He had size, scope and lots of strength through his hip and hind end, as well as a gorgeous neck and shoulder. He was bigger and more mature than a lot of foals you see. A man among men. His action was free moving and athletic. We always thought he was a serious horse and we are all absolutely tickled to see him break his maiden in rising star fashion. Wishing MV and the team all the success moving forward.”
$1million purchase wins! 💥
In first-time cheekpieces, Shaftesbury Avenue (Maxfield) strikes for Aidan O'Brien and Wayne Lordan @coolmorestud @NavanRacecourse | @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/ZSrVfGe9LU
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 30, 2026
The aforementioned Up To The Mark, who captured the Turf Classic, the Manhattan and beat Master Of The Seas (Dubawi) in the Keeneland Turf Mile before finding only Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact) too strong in the Breeders' Cup Turf, is so far the only Stakes performer out of the unraced Belle's Finale (Ghostzapper).
The second dam is the Test Stakes heroine Capote Belle (Capote), whose other visit to Ghostzapper resulted in the Stakes scorer and Graded Stakes-placed Zapper Belle and whose daughter of Storm Cat named Gata Bella producer the GII Eddie Read Stakes and GII Del Mar Mile winner Catapult (Kitten's Joy) who was also runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
Belle's Finale's two-year-old full-brother to Up To The Mark named Where's Otto was a $350,000 purchase by Lauren Carlisle at last year's Keeneland September, while she also has a filly foal by Flightline.
2nd-Navan, €14,000, Mdn, 3-30, 3yo/up, c/g, 7f 180yT, 1:49.92, hy.
SHAFTESBURY AVENUE (c, 3, Maxfield–Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper) Sales history: $500,000 Wlg '23 FTKNOV; $1,000,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $11,704. O-M Tabor/D Smith/Mrs J Magnier/Westerberg; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien.
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