Performance Review

August 2017

August was an exciting month that gave us fantastic reason for celebration, and that’s without the significant birthday at the end of the month!

Without a doubt, the highlight, not just of August, but of the season so far has to be the victory of Liquid Amber in the Group Three Flame Of Tara Stakes at the Curragh on 27 August. A homebred filly for Maria and Elektra Niarchos, Liquid Amber had just one run in a maiden before we stepped her into Group class and she showed just how talented she is, with an impressive victory. 

She had five lengths to spare over the odds-on favourite Ballet Shoes at the line, and the second had come into the race off the back of a Listed win at Tipperary two weeks’ previously.

Liquid Amber made her debut at the Curragh eight days before the Flame of Tara Stakes, and looking at the entries on the Tuesday the race had cut up so we decided to take a chance and put her into the race. When it works out, you’re a genius!

Plans are only taking shape for her, we will have to discuss everything with the owners, but I think she could be one for next year’s Irish 1000 Guineas. Before that, we could put her away for the season, or step her up to Group One class, maybe for the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket or the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day.

Highlight of the season, so far – Liquid Amber in the Group Three Flame Of Tara Stakes at the Curragh

Mary Tudor ran a blinder to be third in the Group Two Debutante Stakes at the Curragh, a week previously. She got stopped at a critical time about a furlong down and by the time Billy got her out, the first two had gone. They were Magical and Happily who went on to finish first and second, in reverse order, in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes during Champions’ Weekend so the form of Mary Tudor’s run looks very good. 

She is a nicely bred Godolphin filly from the family of Street Cry and Shamardal, by their first season sire Dawn Approach. His progeny seem to be hitting their stride now and Mary Tudor will probably run again before the season is out, either in a mile maiden or the Group Three CL and MF Weld Park Stakes which will be run at Naas on 24 September.

Another Godolphin-owned winning filly during August was Snowstar who started off the month by taking a five furlong handicap at the Curragh on 13 August and ended gaining blacktype with her second place finish in the Listed Kilfrush Stud Abergwaun Stakes at Tipperary over the same trip. She is probably a bit too high in the handicap for anything other than blacktype races now so she will have an entry in the Listed Al Maktoum Cup Arran Scottish Fillies’ Stakes at Ayr on Friday.

Abamanova ran two good races during August finishing third on her debut in a maiden at the Curragh on 13 August and finishing up the month by winning at Bellewstown, on her second run. A fast filly by Camacho, she could also be on her way to Ayr either for the five furlong Listed Harry Roseberry Stakes on Friday or the Group Three Firth Of Clyde Stakes on Saturday over a furlong further.

For the same connections, we had a second August winner in Mantracker who was successful on his debut. Colts are in the minority here in the yard at Rathbride Stables but this is a nice one and won a decent two-year-old maiden over a mile during the Killarney festival.

Also during that meeting we had Bumbasina finish second in the Listed Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes. She had her preferred softer ground conditions that day so we will try find another race that suits her before the end of the season.

Sweetest Taboo was successful at the Curragh on 19 August in a five furlong handicap and this daughter of Camacho has been kept on her toes this season. That win came in her tenth run of the year, and she has been placed in five more races. 

Raramauri was the horse who kicked off the winning run in August, taking a maiden at Tipperary on 11 August before gaining some black type in the Group Three Curragh Stakes in Amanda’s colours, all in Amanda’s colours. Raramauri has gone out to the paddock now but she will be a nice three-year-old over five and six furlongs. She is a full-sister to our always consistent sprinter Downforce and if she is as good as him, we will all be happy.

Bloomfield has gone home to John Connaughton’s place after her second place in the Group Three Give Thanks Stakes at Cork at the start of August. She is a filly who will only get better with time and she is one to look forward to for 2018.

Patuano put in a good performance to finish second in a six furlong handicap at the last Thursday evening meeting of the summer in Leopardstown. She has been another consistent performer throughout the season from winning on her first run to finishing second on three occasions. The ground has gone against her now so that’s probably it for the season with her. Belle Boyd, Hushing and Covetous too have all probably had their last runs for the year as the ground has gone too soft for them as well.