Performance Review

June 2022

It's been a great month for us here at Rathbride as we look back on seven winners over the course of June.

Everyone is always working hard at home to get the best results possible, so it's a great reward for the whole team when things click as they have done across the past few weeks.

We were delighted to get a couple of winners on the board on Irish Derby weekend at the Curragh for owner-breeders Ballylinch Stud, including a smart performance on debut from Self Belief. He looks a nice horse, and the rain that fell beforehand suited him. I thought Billy gave him a lovely ride - he's riding with plenty of confidence and that's always a plus.

Self Belief wins at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend

Billy was very good again when winning on Bay Of Bengal for the same connections, just getting up on the line in a mile-and-a-quarter handicap. It looked like she loved the Curragh and she possibly has options back there for her next start. She had previously run very well when just touched off on her handicap debut at Gowran earlier in the month.

Bay of Bengal at the Curragh

Funchal is a fast filly and I thought she won nicely on her debut at Cork for owner-breeder Patrick Burns of Newlands House Stud. She then ran a cracker to finish third against much more experienced horses later in the month at Tipperary, where the ground wouldn't have suited but we wanted her to gain experience for running in stakes company.

She's from a family we're very familiar with as a half-sister to Devonshire, who was a Group 2 winner for us in 2016, and Hurryupharriet, another we trained to win at Listed level a few years earlier. She's very relaxed and will head to the Listed Sweet Mimosa Stakes at Naas on July 20.

Funchal wins nicely on her debut at Cork

We'll also give an entry to Amirat Alward for the same race after she won well at Listowel on her second start since joining us. We possibly overfaced her when running in the Listed Eternal Stakes at Carlisle next time, but hopefully she might be able to sneak some black type for her owner Micheál Fahy.

Amirat Alward wins at Listowel

It was great to see Morning Approach get a deserved turn at Leopardstown during the month too, having been penalised hard for her placed efforts before then. We'll be looking towards similar races for her in the near future.

A deserted win for Morning Approach at Leopardstown

Cnodian tries hard and I was really glad she got her head in front again at Limerick for Rory and Noeleen O'Toole, who bred the filly and look after her over the winter. Her previous second at Fairyhouse was a cracking run, so it was nice that she was able to go one better next time out.

Cnodian goes one better at Limerick

We were also thrilled to get a winner for Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud with Helpmeout, who notched up her first win in a three-year-old handicap at Leopardstown. Jimmy has been a very loyal owner and is a great breeder. Fingers crossed this filly can continue to progress for him.

First win in a three-year-old handicap at Leopardstown for Helpmeout

All Lies Ahead had a good run on her first start in a handicap at Gowran when second. It's good to see her going the right way for David and Sarah Hyland who bred her. Any Dream Will Do ran well when second in a fillies' maiden at Gowran, and I'd hope that we can get her to win over a mile, or a mile and one furlong.

We also were represented at Royal Ascot during the month by Cigamia, who did us proud by finishing fourth in the Sandringham Stakes. We'll now aim her for the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes at Killarney.

It was a pity that Coill Na Sionainne hit the crossbar twice in back-to-back runs at Leopardstown during the month, but she continues to run well. I don't know if she really stayed the extended mile and a quarter when fifth in the Ulster Oaks last time, but we can always drop her back in trip.

Dearg Jazz finished ahead of her in the Ulster Oaks when running a nice race in third. Cian Horgan, who claims 7lb, gave her a lovely ride.

Hopefully Are We Dreaming should win a maiden in due course. She's been knocking on the door, finishing second at Listowel and Down Royal on her two starts in June. Blazing Skies is another unexposed filly who ran well when fourth in a maiden on her first start at Naas. She looked like she was coming to win her race but mightn't have fully seen out the mile.

I thought Pretty Persuasion had a couple of grand runs to begin her career when fourth at Listowel and fifth at Down Royal. We hope she can be competitive in nursery company after her third run.

It's been great to see the horses represent us well over the past few weeks. Hopefully they'll continue to do so as we look to keep the ball rolling into the coming months.