Performance Review
July 2024
The Group 3 Brownstown Stakes was one of our first Pattern-level wins back in 2013 with stable favourite Fiesolana, and it was lovely to win the race again with another exciting filly this month.
Jancis produced a very good performance to remain unbeaten with two wins in her first two starts at Leopardstown. We’re delighted to get a blacktype win on the board with her for her owner-breeder Arturo Cousino.
This filly has done nothing wrong and I think she’s earned herself a shot at the Group 1 Matron Stakes back at Leopardstown for the Irish Champions Festival in September. We’re looking forward to that with her.
Jancis remains unbeaten with another win in Leopardstown
I’m hoping that a first win won’t be far away for Counterculture after she ran very well to finish second in a maiden at the Curragh on Irish Oaks day for Joya Burns. The plan is to head to Roscommon next month for another fillies-and-mares maiden over an extended seven furlongs.
Fingers crossed we’re not far away from seeing Cancelled open her account too in the colours of Sabah Alsabah. I thought she showed ability in coming from a little off the pace to be a close second at Limerick in a maiden. We tried for some blacktype at Gowran later in the month when sixth, but I’m looking forward to seeing her return to the same track for a maiden in mid-August.
Morning Approach finished with a rattle from behind for second, beaten only a neck, at Tipperary in a seven-and-a-half-furlong handicap. She’s usually very consistent for the Morning Approach Syndicate and will head to Leopardstown for another handicap next month.
It was good to see a step in the right direction from Positive Energy on his second start in a handicap at Killarney when third. He’s grown a lot and, on the whole, I think he’ll benefit from a bit of time. At the same meeting, I was also pleased with Golden Circet’s first run in nearly 400 days, finishing third in a mile maiden. Hopefully they can both build on those runs going forward.
I’ve been a bit perplexed with how the handicapper has been treating Zarra Ellis lately. Having given her an opening mark of 74, he dropped her 4lb for one run when down the field at Fairyhouse in May – and then he went on to give her a whole 18lb rise for winning at Cork on her next start in June.
We ran her at Tipperary during this month, finishing third in a higher grade, and the handicapper then opted to drop her 3lb. She’s gone from a rating of 74 to 70, then to 88 and 85 in the space of three runs. The handicapper obviously has the final say on everything but he seems to be confused as to how to interpret this filly’s races.
Dropping back to five furlongs might just have been a bit short for Lunigiana when beaten half a length in third at Naas in a fillies’ maiden. It was no harm to see the form of her first run at Cork get a boost this month when the winner, Babouche, won the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes ahead of a crack at the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes in August.
Finally, I thought Ocean Jewel ran with real credit when fourth in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville for Al Shira'aa Racing. She was stepping up to the highest level again and I think we can look towards another trip to France with her now for the Group 1 Prix de la Forêt at Longchamp on Arc day. The seven-furlong trip there could suit her well.
It was frustrating to hit the crossbar with three seconds, four thirds and five fourths during the month, but getting another Group winner on the board was obviously a big positive. Hopefully we can convert some of those placed runners into winners as the season rolls on. We’ll also have a few new horses to run in the coming weeks and some two-year-olds starting off.