Seventh Classic win of the year
SEVENTH HEAVEN (IRE) brought Irish racing and bloodstock exactly there when winning the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday; a seventh Classic win of the year for Irish-bred and trained horses. The Aidan O’Brien-trained and Coolmore-owned filly was ridden to victory by Seamie Heffernan, who rode his mount to score by two and three parts of a length, with British raiders Architecture (IRE) taking second and Harlequeen finishing third, completing a 1-2-3 for Coolmore sires.
Eight of the ten Classics of 2016 have been run so far, with the Irish and British St Legers taking place in September. Seven of the prestigious contests have been won by Irish-bred and trained horses, while the other Classic winner, British 2,000 Guineas victor Galileo Gold, was sold at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale for €33,000. The Al Shaqab-owned colt later suffered defeat to Awtaad (IRE) in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the winner providing 84-year-old Curragh trainer Kevin Prendergast with his second victory in the race, having saddled Northern Treasure (IRE) to win the 1976 renewal.
Awtaad (IRE) rewarded the Irish investment of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, while Harzand (IRE) rewarded His Highness The Aga Khan with not one, but two Derby wins. The Dermot Weld-trained colt won both the Irish and Epsom Derby, with Pat Smullen aboard each time. He comes from a long line of horses trained in Ireland for the Aga Khan and is by the legendary Sea The Stars (IRE), who stands at the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in County Kildare.
However, the fairytale of racing in 2016 was written by fellow Curragh trainer Adrian Keatley, whose filly Jet Setting (IRE) brought him to new heights with her brave victory in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Without a win when trained in England by Richard Hannon, Jet Setting (IRE) was bought by Keatley and Irish-born bloodstock agent John Kilbride for just 12,000 guineas and went on to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown before winning the Curragh Classic.
There was great substance to her win, with the runner-up being British 1,000 Guineas heroine Minding (IRE), who led home a 1-2-3 for Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore in the Newmarket Group 1. Her defeat in Ireland took nothing away from what an astounding filly she is, going on to take the Investec Oaks at Epsom two weeks later and following up with an impressive victory in the Group 1 Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes at the end of June.
Irish breeders and trainers will hopefully add to their Classic success in the season’s remaining contests, with the British St Leger taking place at Doncaster on September 10th, and the Irish St Leger run at the Curragh the following day as part of Longines Irish Champions Weekend.
