Having shaped with real promise at The Curragh last month, Al Shira'aa Racing's Folsom Blues (Blue Point) showed more of his raw material to become a TDN Rising Star, Presented by Hagyard at Gowran on Friday.
Sent off the heavily-supported 4-9 favourite for the seven-furlong maiden won by the fellow Joseph O'Brien-trained subsequent Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Intricately in 2016, Al Shira'aa Racing's homebred made all for a power-packed 7 1/2-length success.
“He's a lovely horse who shows plenty at home and the key was to get him to relax the first day,” jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said. “He was very straightforward there, he relaxed good and is learning on the job. I think he can only get better and he'll go further as well so he's definitely one to look forward to.”
Followed home by the Jessica Harrington-trained debutante Lunar Empress (Zoustar), with his own stablemate Wo Wo Never (Wootton Bassett) beaten over 11 lengths in third, Folsom Blues becomes Blue Point's fifth TDN Rising Star with the Group 1 winner Kind Of Blue among them. This maiden was also won nine years ago by Ballydoyle's Irish Derby runner-up Rostropovich and this son of the Italian Group 3-placed Liwa Palace (Oasis Dream) is held in high regard at Owning Hill.
“He was an eyecatcher the first day and we were happy that he was ready to go to seven,” Joseph O'Brien said of the winner, who had been third over six furlongs on debut behind Ballydoyle's Windsor Castle-bound Sergei Diaghilev and the evening's Fairyhouse winner Switching Sides last month. “I thought he was very impressive really and I think he's a smart colt. I suppose the Tyros would be an obvious stepping stone for him from here. Lots to look forward to, hopefully.”
Liwa Palace, who unfortunately died last year after producing Folsom Blues's full-brother, was also responsible for the stable's Killavullan Stakes winner and Champions Juvenile Stakes-placed Atlantic Coast (Kodiac) and dual Listed-placed three-year-old colt Greek Mythology (Pinatubo). The third dam is the Fillies' Mile heroine and 1,000 Guineas runner-up Aqaarid (Nashwan), descended from the outstanding producer Violetta III (Pinza) who is the ancestress of numerous top-class runners such as the Classic winners Teenoso, Sir Percy, Rule Of Law, Give Thanks and Harayir.
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