By Alayna Cullen Birkett
Known for its impressive results as an owner/breeder, it was no wonder that Moyglare Stud Farm's representative for Thursday's Irish Stallion Farm's EBF Fillies Maiden, Chiara Luna, at Leopardstown was highly fancied. Being by War Front out of Princess Highway (Street Cry {Ire}), winner of the 2012 G2 Ribblesdale S. and third in the G1 Irish Oaks for the farm, likely stirred bettor interest in the filly. Trained by Dermot Weld and ridden by Pat Smullen, it was no surprise to see this team past the post in front as so many have done before them, but that doesn't mean the success wasn't still as sweet. “We've had rather a long year because the horses have been sick but it was lovely for her to come out and do that,” said Moyglare Stud's bloodstock advisor Fiona Craig. “Pat thinks she is a very nice filly and all along she has been doing the right thing but Dermot Weld doesn't push them to get out early so you never know until you get them out but all along she has been showing she's a nice filly.”
Of Chiara Luna's pedigree, Craig commented that “her mother is a big, rangy mare who covers a mass of ground so we mated her to War Front as he's a nice, tidy horse. It was a physical match. Princess Highway is quite like her mother, Irresistible Jewel; they are big plain horses, so we wanted something a bit tidier. Hats off to Eva-Maria [Bucher Haefner, owner of Moyglare] for the mating, she was prepared to put the money up and have a go so full credit to her.”
Chiara Luna is the fourth generation of a Moyglare family that stems back to Aptostar, who Moyglare bought in 1989. “We bought Aptostar at Fasig-Tipton, she's where all the size comes from as she was by Fappiano. She was bought specifically to go to Sadler's Wells and that foal ended up being In Anticipation, who was the only filly we kept from that mare. She's established Chiara Luna's line and we are very lucky with how many fillies we have had from that family.”
Chiara Luna is the first foal of Princess Highway and she naturally has some well-bred siblings to follow. “Princess [Highway] has a Medaglia d'Oro yearling filly that is very like her grandmother and a filly foal by War Front who is exactly like Chiara, if a bit bigger. She is barren at the moment but I would imagine we would probably think quite seriously about going back to War Front again next year.”
Not only is this filly from a family that has been very productive for the Haefner family, but she also shares her name with Eva's daughter Chiara. “Luna means moon in Italian so really her name is Chiara Moon,” Craig said. “It's just a coincidence that she is named Chiara but it adds to the excitement.”
As for Chiara Luna's future, Craig said, “it's only a maiden win and we have a long way to go but it's always exciting when a good race mare has a winner with her first foal. The Moyglare Stud S. gives her three weeks from this win and it's over seven and up the straight at The Curragh. We will see how she comes out of the race but I would imagine that is what Dermot will be thinking of. There are plenty of other options for her even if she doesn't go to The Curragh, but she will go for a stakes race her next start and up till that point we dream.”
With a pedigree likes hers and a maiden performance to match, it would seem the dream is very much alive.
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