Performance Review

August 2020

We had a bit of a slow start to the season but it was great to send out six winners across the month of August. We needed to catch up from the opening couple of months so here's hoping we can keep going strongly.

We were delighted with how Huddle Up got off the mark at Cork for owner Michael O'Donnell, who is a good supporter of the yard. He showed a good attitude on testing ground and it's possible we could give him an entry for a Listed race. The final of the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series Final is an option for him too.

Huddle Up gets off the mark at Cork

The stiff mile seems to suit Roving Mission very well and it was great to see her get her head in front for us at the Curragh. She'll have an entry next month for the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes and we'll keep an eye on how the ground is looking for her.

Royal Canford won for the third time in her career at Roscommon during the month too. She loves those tight tracks where she can dictate from the front. We're going to look for some black type with her and it's possible that she could be sold at the end of the year.

An ease in the ground is a big help to Truth Prevails and she deserved her win at Navan over five furlongs. She's a beautiful filly by Siyouni and we could look to finding some black type for her as well.

Call Of The Jungle is another filly who wasn't winning out of turn at the Curragh earlier in the month and she ran very creditably in Listed company on her next two starts. She's gone up a few pounds in the handicap as a result and she'll now head home to her owners for a holiday.

Roving Mission performs at the Curragh

Mogwli has matured and is a very straightforward horse who has been a good help to the apprentices and I was delighted to see him win for the second time this season, giving Jack Cleary his first winner at the Curragh. Amanda bred the horse and we're currently in the process of breaking his half-brother by Raven's Pass.

We've been very happy with Epona Plays and she finished a good fourth in the Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes at Gowran before getting some Group 3 black type when third in the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes. She's a tough and improving filly and we've entered her in the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes next month. I'd be expecting a big run from her if she lines up there.

It was a super run from Up Helly Aa when he was just chinned in the Listed M D O'Shea & Sons Vincent O'Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney on his first start for 325 days during the month too. I wasn't sure about running him on the soft ground but he needed to learn from the experience of a track like that and I was very happy with him. We're looking forward to running him in the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes at Irish Champions Weekend.

Truth Prevails deserved her win at Navan

Downforce is a real stalwart of the yard and he ran a fine race on his comeback at the Curragh behind Make A Challenge. He would have needed that run and obviously is dependent on an ease in the ground so I'll enter him up in a few Group races and keep an eye on the weather because there's not much else for him off his mark.

I think Wood Ranger is a horse who's strengthening up the whole time and he had a lovely debut run at Cork when third before taking a step forward to finish fourth in the valuable Silver Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes. I think seven furlongs with an ease in the ground around a bend could suit him and hopefully he can continue going the right way.

We were very happy with Lightning Boltz's pair of seconds at Galway and Tipperary but the slightly tacky ground probably counted against him when he finished behind Wood Ranger at Naas next time. He could head for the valuable Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes at Irish Champions Weekend next month and hopefully he get his head on front before long for his owner Madeline Burns.

Lustown Baba is in great form and was knocking on the door when second in two handicaps at Naas during the month. Cut in the ground is vital to her producing her best so we'll keep an eye on the weather with her.

Fictitious Lady is a lovely, tall filly who hopefully should be good enough to win a maiden before the season is out, although I think she'll be even better next year. She finished fourth in a maiden at Gowran Park and somewhere between seven furlongs and a mile and a furlong would look fine for her.

Finally, Even Flow didn't get the clearest of runs by any means but I was very pleased by how she came home on her debut at the Curragh. She got hampered and was struck into but thankfully she seems fine now and I'm looking forward to running her again. Hopefully she can be a nice filly for her owners.

It's been a good month here at Rathbride Stables and all the team are working hard to keep going as best as we can.