Folsom Blues classy and dominant in G1 National Stakes
By Tom Frary
No match for Sun Goddess in the Phoenix Stakes last month, Al Shira'aa Racing's 2-year-old colt Folsom Blues (Blue Point) was in a class of his own to provide his owner-breeders with a significant landmark in Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at The Curragh.
Far from disgraced when 1.25 lengths behind Ballydoyle's femme fatale in that six-furlong feature, the Joseph O'Brien-trained TDN Rising Star went through this contest with consummate ease waiting for the command from Joey Sheridan. When that was given approaching the furlong pole, the 11-2 shot took off to leave his much-vaunted stablemate Monogram (Kingman) lagging behind by six lengths in this “Win and You're In” for the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Third was Ballydoyle's Florida Bay (Mehmas), another 1.25 lengths away from the 9-4 favourite.
“When he relaxes, he's a fair jet,” Sheridan said. “I've known this horse well since he was a yearling and early on in the year he just wanted to please, so they've done some job with him getting him to relax. There was a risk that running in the Phoenix over six would light him up, so it's some training performance to get him this relaxed.”
“I didn't want to kick him into gear too early, as I know how good Monogram is and I didn't want to give him a lead to the half-furlong pole but when I went for my lad I could see that he wasn't coming. To ride a Group 1 winner in Ireland means everything and I can't thank Joseph and everyone in the yard enough.”
“To ride a Group 1 winner in Ireland means everything and I can't thank Joseph and everyone in the yard enough.” - Joey Sheridan
Earning his TDN Rising Star tag in June with a 7.5-length success in a Gowran maiden won in 2016 by the stable's subsequent Moyglare heroine Intricately, Folsom Blues was racing against a notable bias when failing to reel in Florida Bay in the Tyros at Leopardstown the following month. Beating everything bar the perhaps unbeatable in the Phoenix, he was back in calmer waters against his own sex in a year dominated by the fillies and made it count.
On a day when the O'Briens scooped all the Stakes races and the valuable sales race, Joseph was also left to ponder a pair of genuine Guineas contenders to boot. “I didn't expect him to win so impressively, but we felt we were coming here with two really nice colts,” he said. “They both had very good preparations and the winner looked really, really good today.”
“I didn't expect him to win so impressively, but we felt we were coming here with two really nice colts.” - Joseph O'Brien
“It really was top-class form and we've had a big opinion of the horse all along,” he added. “He put it all together today. I'm delighted for all the Al Shira'aa Racing team. There is a big team of people there and it's a real privilege for me to have their support and to be given access to homebreds like this. It's really rewarding and a real privilege for us to have a Group 1 winner with them.”
Joseph O'Brien | Image courtesy of Goffs
Folsom Blues is set to run again, with plans open for Monogram. “I suppose the Dewhurst would be an obvious stepping stone,” he said. “We had America in the back of our mind as well before this race. I thought it was a great run from Monogram, just a bit of inexperience told through the middle of the race but he hit the line really strong. He's very exciting for the future.”
Al Shira'aa's racing manager Kieran Lalor was on hand to reflect on the operation's first homebred Group 1 winner. “Joseph has done an incredible job with him and it's very special, the best day in our existence,” he said. “We fell in love with this fellow and came up with a reason not to sell him, so we're delighted it's worked out. Emotions are running high and hearts are pounding, credit to the whole team.”
“We fell in love with this fellow (Folsom Blues) and came up with a reason not to sell him, so we're delighted it's worked out.” - Kieran Lalor
“This is where we want to be, to compete with the best and this is absolutely huge,” he added. “It's been an incredible journey and this one will be remembered forever. He's an exciting colt for the future and I think he'll step up to a mile no problem. He's quite versatile with regards the ground and his form is exceptional.”
Pedigree: Folsom Blues's Group-placed dam Liwa Palace (Oasis Dream), who unfortunately died last year after producing his full brother, was also responsible for the stable's Killavullan Stakes winner and Golden Fleece-placed Atlantic Coast (Kodiac) and dual Listed-placed 3-year-old colt Greek Mythology (Pinatubo). The third dam is the Fillies' Mile heroine and 1000 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.
Sun Goddess adds G1 Moyglare Stakes
By Tom Frary
Aidan O'Brien may not have had the best Irish Champions Weekend so far, but he has a pair brilliant 2-year-olds to celebrate after 2-year-old filly Sun Goddess (Sioux Nation) ran away with Sunday's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh.
After the scintillating performance of Darkness Falls on Saturday, the yard's top filly who had already impressed in the six-furlong Phoenix Stakes had bragging rights to seal and did so in her customary dynamic style tackling this trip for the first time.
“She looks a freak – we keep giving her big targets and she keeps producing,” O'Brien said after registering a dozen wins in this prestige affair. “To be fair to everyone, they want to expose the horses to see which way to go and we didn't really know if she'd stay, especially on what is nearly soft ground and she could have got wiped out but the answer is she's a Guineas filly.”
“She (Sun Goddess) looks a freak – we keep giving her big targets and she keeps producing.” - Aidan O'Brien
“She could go back again for the Cheveley Park,” he added. “She is so big, she shouldn't be improving but she is and working and racing is helping her. She looks exceptional. Ryan said there's no doubt she'll get the mile and we could even go to the Breeders' Cup. She'd breeze around on that easy mile.”
Held up by Ryan Moore as her once-lauded stablemate Alpha (Sea The Stars) cut out the running, the 4-7 favourite moved to her peers passing two out and was quickly gone from sight for a 6.5-length success which marginally bettered her margin in York's Harry's Half Million last month. Joseph O'Brien's Debutante first and second Green Empress (Saxon Warrior) and Dancing Destiny (Magna Grecia) followed her home, with 1.75 lengths between the Owning Hill fillies in this “Win and You're In” for the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“Sioux Nation was a monster and she's out of a Starspangledbanner mare which should be all speed, but she's scopey and very clear-winded and relaxes very well and there was a chance she was going to do that,” the Ballydoyle handler added. “She's coming out of her races like she's not having them and you'd imagine looking at her she should be a way better filly next year. Alpha wants a mile and got a little bit exposed today as she's gone a bit weak, so maybe I gave her a run too many and we'll put her away for next year.”
Pedigree: Sun Goddess is out of the unraced Etoile Bleu (Starspangledbanner), a half-sister to the four-time South African Group winner Gibraltar Blue (Rock Of Gibraltar) and the Phoenix Sprint Stakes winner Scream Blue Murder (Oratorio). The latter's Listed-winning and Group 2-placed daughter Too Soon To Panic (Gleneagles) is the dam of the recent Prix Jean Prat and Jersey Stakes hero Thesecretadversary (St Mark's Basilica). Etoile Bleu's yearling filly is by Blue Point.
Comanche Brave off to Breeders’ Cup with Flying Five win
By Sean Cronin
Muhaideb Almuhaideb's G1 July Cup hero Comanche Brave (Wootton Bassett) punched his golden ticket to Keeneland's G1 Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint after delivering a classy performance in Sunday's G1 Bar 1 Racing Flying Five at the Curragh.
Beyond the Breeders' Cup meet next month, he will also point to Hong Kong in December, according to conditioner Donnacha O'Brien.
“It was very easy for him today and, once we got the gap, it was pretty smooth sailing,” beamed Billy Loughnane. “I thought he would have enough speed dropping down to five (furlongs) and he's shown that he has there. He felt better today than he did at Newmarket and he's a very talented sprinter.”
“It was very easy for him (Comanche Brave) today and, once we got the gap, it was pretty smooth sailing.” - Billy Loughnane
The victory provided was yet another landmark moment in a stellar 2026 for Loughnane. “That's my first winner in Ireland and what a way to do it,” he revealed. “My only concern was getting out, but thankfully I got a bit of room and he did it very easily in the end. When it opened up it was fantastic and he showed his natural turn of foot to put the race to bed.”
The winning trainer continued, “He was very good, and Billy gave him a lovely ride. I'm very pleased for Mr Almuhaideb and for all the team at home. He's getting better, Billy said five was definitely his trip. I was worried about the ground today, but obviously that wasn't any problem. He's just a very, very good, fast, horse. He's not overly big, but he's very strong and he's a real fast strider with a very strong front on him. I think there is a chance he might stay in training again next year, which would be great as well as I think he's a horse that is getting better the whole time. He ran in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and Saudi and he still has his passport so I'm sure we'll travel this winter.”
Looking at options in the immediate future, O'Brien added, “The Breeders' Cup is very possible. We were even discussing whether he'd go for the (G1) Mile rather than the five-and-a-half (G1 Turf Sprint) in Keeneland, but I'd say looking at that you wouldn't have any worries about the trip. His dam won the Jersey and was third in an Irish Guineas, so he's got a great pedigree and is a dual Group 1 winner now.”
Comanche Brave adopted patient tactics from flagfall and was held up towards the rear after an alert getaway. All dressed up with nowhere to go when cruising into contention approaching the final furlong, the 5-2 favourite required no second bidding when a gap appeared with 100 yards remaining and unleashed a stunning burst to comfortably account for American Affair (Washington DC) and Rumstar (Havana Grey) by 1.25 lengths and a half-length.
Pedigree: Comanche Brave, a full brother to the unraced 3-year-old filly Existence, is the seventh of eight foals and lone black-type performer for G3 Jersey victrix and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Ishvana (Holy Roman Emperor).
Ishvana is a full sister to the dam of stakes-winning G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Mountain Bear (No Nay Never), while the winner's third dam Calypso Run (Lycius) is kin to G3 Meld Stakes victrix Sailor's Mate (Shirley Heights) and to the dam of G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Hellenic (Darshaan).
Hellenic, in turn, is the dam of multiple Group/Grade 1 winner Islington (Sadler's Wells), her G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis-winning full brother Greek Dance and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Mountain High (Danehill).
Scandinavia tough again in Irish St Leger
By Sean Cronin
Aidan O'Brien's older brigade has failed to find they key over the course of weekend, but the ever-dependable Scandinavia (Justify) halted the elders' barren run in the eighth and final Group 1 contest, the Comer Group International Irish St Leger, to conclude the Irish Champions and Doncaster elite-level bonanza.
For added emphasis, Ballydoyle collected the trifecta with the pacesetting Queenstown (Galileo) staying on in resolute fashion to fill the runner-up spot and TDN Rising Star Jan Breughel (Galileo) keeping on well from the rear to finish a never-nearer third.
“He's a great horse, he just has an unbelievable amount of stamina and Ryan (Moore) gave him a great ride,” said O'Brien after collecting an eighth renewal of the 14-furlong Classic. “He's a big, high-cruiser and we were delighted to have Queenstown there today to keep him going along. He just goes along there, lazing along and he really only kicks in after a mile-and-six, which is very unusual. He's by Justify, he stays and stays and gallops. He was trained for (Royal) Ascot (for the G1 Gold Cup) and then he's done all these other things. He's a very good mover and the ground was probably as soft as he wants it. You could go to France (for the G1 Prix du Cadran) and the ground could be very bad for him. I don't want to abuse him either because he's a made Gold Cup horse. He floats on the fast ground.”
“He's (Scandinavia) a great horse, he just has an unbelievable amount of stamina and Ryan (Moore) gave him a great ride.” - Aidan O'Brien
Looking ahead to upcoming options for Queenstown and Jan Beughel, the trainer continued, “When Ryan came in he said 'what about the Cadran for the second horse, to give him a chance' and maybe Jan Breughel could go to Ascot for the two-mile (G1 British Champions Long Distance Cup) race. We could then put Scandinavia away for Ascot next year. Queenstown handles an ease well, and so does the third horse, and it'll be depending on what the lads want to do.”
The four-time Group 1 winner went postward as the 4-11 pick and stalked stablemate Queenstown into the straight. Coming under pressure to gain the upper hand with less than a quarter-mile remaining, he was driven out to defeat his stablemates by two lengths and three quarters-of-a-length.
Pedigree: Scandinavia, one of his sire's 11 Group/Grade 1 winners, is the sixth of nine foals and one of three winners out of an unraced sibling of eight black-type performers headed by multiple Group 1-winning sire Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat).
His dam Fabulous (Galileo), was bred back to Justify this year, has also produced G1 Prix Saint-Alary victrix Above The Curve (American Pharoah), the dual Group 3-placed Thinking Of You (American Pharoah), the 2-year-old colt Charleston (No Nay Never), a yearling filly by Siyouni and a weanling filly by Wootton Bassett.
Galileo-sired descendants of his second dam Mariah's Storm (Rahy), herself kin to Group 1-placed sire Panoramic (Rainbow Quest), include sires Gleneagles, Decorated Knight and Taj Mahal, Classic heroines Marvellous and Joan Of Arc, multiple Group 1-winning distaffer Happily and elite-level performers Vatican City, Coolmore and Toy.
