By Sean Cronin
Coolmore's Aidan O'Brien-trained G1 Phoenix Stakes fourth Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett) was a five-race maiden heading into Saturday's G2 Betfred Champagne Stakes and made all for a breakthrough success in the seven-furlong contest at Doncaster, becoming the first to achieve the feat since Bog Trotter in 1990.
“You'd have to be very happy with him and he'll stay further, too,” commented Coolmore representative Kevin Buckley. “He'd had a couple of nice runs recently and he did it nicely today. It looked like a very decent race and Sean [Levey] gave him an exceptional ride.”
The winning trainer, speaking from Leopardstown, said, “He's coming forward and getting better. Sean gave him a lovely ride and he was the best maiden in Europe!”
Levey added, “I would have been happy to have taken a lead, but one thing with these horses is they are happy in front. My lad has danced a few dances and was very straightforward. We got into a nice rhythm, he picked up nicely and showed that he is a good horse, especially now up to seven [furlongs]. He was beautifully settled. At the four marker, when I was just starting to wind it up, he was just filling his lungs and, when we got to the two, he still had plenty in reserve. He quickened up nicely, he had plenty of experience and I think it showed.”
The 15-2 chance, runner-up in both G2 Railway Stakes and G2 Richmond Stakes previously, was swiftly into stride and gained early control in murky conditions. Untroubled on the lead through halfway, he was asked to stretch with three furlongs remaining and kept on strongly under forceful urging inside the final quarter-mile to prevail by a length from TDN Rising Star Oxagon (Frankel). Valmont's Arqana Series Criterium d'Ete victor Cape Orator (Mohaather) was unable to land a telling blow and finished 1 3/4 lengths adrift in third.
Oxagon is a possible contender for next month's G1 Futurity Trophy over one mile at this venue, according to John Gosden. “It was only his third race and he didn't learn much in his first one,” he reflected. “Sean's horse has been sprinting and he's led at a sensible pace. He kicked, nicked three lengths, and we're getting it back at the end. We're getting it back too late, but I liked the way he finished strongly. The Futurity is a long way off and it looked like the mile would be no problem to me. He's by Frankel so that could be a strong possibility for him.”
Great result for @LeveySean and Aidan O'Brien as Puerto Rico races clear in the Group 2 Betfred Champagne Stakes at @DoncasterRaces… pic.twitter.com/u46ZVRmtNm
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 13, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Puerto Rico, who becomes the 50th pattern-race winner for his sire, is the first foal bred from G2 Kilboy Estate Stakes runner-up April Showers (Galileo), herself a full-sister to black-type winners headed by multiple Group 1-winning Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Misty For Me (Galileo) and her G1 Prix Marcel Boussac-winning full-sister Ballydoyle (Galileo). Misty For Me is the dam of four black-type including G1 Dewhurst Stakes and G1 July Cup hero US Navy Flag (War Front) and his multiple Group 1-winning full-sister Roly Poly. Puerto Rico's third dam, Mr. P's Princess (Mr. Prospector), is kin to the Grade I-winning sires Desert Wine (Damascus) and Menifee (Harlan) and she produced G1 Phoenix Stakes and G1 Prix Morny-winning sire Fasliyev (Nureyev). She is also the third dam of GI New York Stakes hero Marketsegmentation (American Pharoah). The winner is full to a weanling colt and half to a yearling filly by No Nay Never.
Saturday, Doncaster, Britain
BETFRED CHAMPAGNE STAKES-G2, £150,000, Doncaster, 9-13, 2yo, c/g, 7f 6yT, 1:25.93, gd.
1–PUERTO RICO (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: April Showers (Ire) (GSP-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Butterfly Cove, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Mr. P's Princess, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-April Showers Syndicate; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Sean Levey. £85,065. Lifetime Record: GSP-Ire, 6-1-3-0, $213,304. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Oxagon (Fr), 128, c, 2, Frankel (GB)–Endless Charm (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). TDN Rising Star. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Prince A A Faisal; B-Nawara Stud Ltd; T-John & Thady Gosden. £32,250.
3–Cape Orator (Ire), 128, c, 2, Mohaather (GB)–Mouille Point (GB), by Motivator (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€280,000 Ylg '24 ARQDOY). O-Valmont; B-SAS Le Thenney – Pearl Champs Elysses; T-Ralph Beckett. £16,140.
Margins: 1, 1 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 7.50, 1.63, 9.00.
Also Ran: Gewan (GB), Cape Ashizuri (Ire).
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