14/09/2021. Orby Group 1 Double On Irish Champions Weekend
| A glorious Longines Irish Champions’ Weekend 2021 saw Group 1 success for Goffs Orby Sale graduates on each of the two days.
Romantic Proposal, a five-year-old daughter of Raven’s Pass, who stands at Darley’s Kildangan Stud, led home a 1-2 for Goffs graduates in the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.
It was a first Group 1 win in six years for Eddie Lynam who trains Romantic Proposal for Steve Parkin and the winner is a dual Goffs graduate. Bred by Fastnet Stud out of Playwithmyheart, a Diktat half-sister to Group 1 Prix de la Foret winner Toylsome, she was bought from her breeder by Amy Lynam at the 2016 Goffs November Foal Sale for €25,000.
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| Romantic Proposal – Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes |
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“She was just my second pinhook, and the first with my mam Aileen, so it’s really special. I hoped she was going to be good but I could never have imagined that she would turn out to be this good,” said a delighted Lynam.
Sold through John Cullinan’s Horse Park Stud at the following year’s Goffs Orby Sale, she made €55,000 to Joe Foley on behalf of Steve Parkin and Lynam was quick to deflect praise to Cullinan and his team.
“She looked a million dollars at Orby and that’s down to John, he did a great job with her. Joe (Foley) picked her out in the outside ring at Goffs and that shows just how well she looked, and the presence she has.”
Her father Eddie had trained fellow Goffs graduate Agnes Stewart, the Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner and Group 1 Fillies’ Mile runner-up, for Steve Parkin and his daughter was thrilled when the owner elected to send Romantic Proposal into training with him.
“I am delighted for Dad, he really deserves to be back in the spotlight and credit to Joe and Steve for keeping her in training as a five-year-old,” she added.
A Case Of You, trained by Ado McGuinness for Gary Devlin, was runner-up to Romantic Proposal and is a graduate of the 2019 Goffs’ Sportsmans’ Sale where the three-year-old Group 3 winner was offered by breeder Derek Iceton’s Tara Stud. |
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| No Speak Alexander – Group 1 Coolmore America Justify Matron Stakes |
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No Speak Alexander began the golden run for Goffs graduates in Saturday’s Group 1 Coolmore America Justify Matron Stakes. A homebred for Noel O’Callaghan, she was offered through his Mountarmstrong Stud at the 2019 Goffs Orby Sale.
The three-year-old filly is from the first crop of Al Shaqab Racing’s European Champion Two Year Old Shalaa, and became his first Group 1 winner with a thrilling triumph in the one mile contest for fillies and mares.
It was also a first Group 1 winner as a broodmare sire for Ballyhane Stud’s Dandy Man and No Speak Alexander’s dam, the Listed winner Rapacity Alexander, is herself a Goffs graduate. She was sold at the 2014 November Foal Sale by Kilfeacle Stud to BBA Ireland and Biddestone Stud for €42,000 and is a full sister to Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint winner Peniaphobia.
No Speak Alexander was the first of two Goffs’ graduates to win Group races at Leopardstown on Saturday afternoon for trainer Jessica Harrington and jockey Shane Foley; the other being Real Appeal in the Group 2 Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile.
The four-year-old Sidestep gelding was sold by Bansha House Stables to Michael O’Donohoe of BBA Ireland on behalf of Zhang Yuesheng of Yulong Investments at the 2019 Goffs London Sale for £265,000.
Harrington also trained the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Discoveries for her owner-breeder Flaxman Stables Ireland and they offer a Mastercraftsman full brother to Discoveries and Alpha Centuari, the European Champion Three Year Old Miler of 2018, at the upcoming Goffs Orby Sale. Consigned by Camas Park Stud, Lot 347 is also a half-brother to last season’s Group 1 Coronation Stakes winner Alpine Star and the Listed Golden Fleece Stakes winner Tenth Star.
One of the performances of the weekend came in the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes when Native Trail swept by a high class field of colts including the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner Ebro River to give Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and William Buick their third winner of the race in the last four years.
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| Goffs Chairman Eimear Mulhern presents Native Trail’s winning connections Joe Osborne, Charlie Appleby and William Buick with the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes trophies. |
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Next sales:
Goffs Orby Sale
featuring the only candidates for the Goffs Million,
Europe’s Richest 2YO Race
28 – 29 September 2021
Kildare Paddocks, Ireland
Goffs Sportsman’s Sale
featuring the only candidates for the €100,000
Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge
30 September – 1 October 2021
Kildare Paddocks, Ireland
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