TDN RISING STARS

July 21, 2016 - Leopardstown, Race 1, Msw, EUR €16,500, 8.0F, .0000

Douglas Macarthur (Ire), c, 2, 2014 by Galileo (Ire)

1st Dam: Alluring Park (Ire) (MSP-Ire), by Green Desert
2nd Dam: Park Express (Ire), by Ahonoora (GB)
3rd Dam: Matcher, by Left Banker

Owner: Markus Jooste, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith
Breeder: Lodge Park stud (Ire)
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Setting aside his obvious headline-making ability as a full-brother to the 2012 G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Was (Ire), G1SWEng, G1SP-Ire, $496,294, the word was out for Douglas Macarthur--who sold for 1.25million guineas at Tattersalls in October--when the 2-5 favourite for his debut over a seven furlong trip here June 9, but he proved disappointing when last of six on that occasion. A different proposition this time, the 9-10 market-leader was bounced out by Ryan Moore to lead from the outset and he had his rivals on the stretch in early straight. Not fully extended in the last furlong, the bay hit the line with five lengths to spare over the China Horse Club International, Qatar Racing and Triermore Stud's 1.2million gns son of the disqualified G1 1000 Guineas winner Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) named World War (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). In doing so, he was emulating Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) who won this in 2011 and was one of six to win it for the stable in the last eight runnings. The winner's stablemate Utah (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a 260,000gns full-brother to the G1 Epsom Derby runner-up At First Sight (Ire), was sixth after meeting a spot of trouble late on. "We're very happy with that. The reason we let him roll on was because he was so green last time and needed to learn," trainer Aidan O'Brien said. "Even today at the road, he landed in the middle of it and he's still a baby. In an ideal world, he'd have a run or two more before next year. His mind is still sleeping, but we knew he had a massive engine. He would have learned a lot today. We were taken a little aback by how green he was." As for potential targets, O'Brien added, "We'll look at the [G2] Beresford [S. at The Curragh Sept. 25] or the [G3] Golden Fleece [Champions Juvenile Turf at Leopardstown Sept. 10] for him. I'd like to give him a little bit of time. He's still very babyish." Also a full-brother to the 5million gns purchase Al Naamah (Ire), MGSP-Fr, Douglas Macarthur's dam is a half to the juvenile and 3-year-old champion and G1 Epsom Derby hero New Approach (Ire), who needs no introduction as a significant sire, and also to Dazzling Park (Ire) (Warning {GB}). She was a G3 Matron S.-winning highweight who was also second in the G1 Irish Champion S. and third in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and is the second dam of the G1 Phoenix S.-winning sire Alfred Nobel (Ire). A daughter of the dual champion Park Express, Alluring Park, who is also a full-sister to the sire Shinko Forest (Ire), has a yearling filly by Galileo (Ire) to come. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $11,179.