Performance Review
July 2025
Across the whole of July, 70% of our total runners finished in the prize money, so it was a just reward for everyone’s hard work in the yard when Bundle Of Interest got a win on the board during the month at Navan.
She’s a big, three-year-old filly by Bungle Inthejungle who carries the colours of the COR Racing Syndicate, and I was delighted to see her get off the mark as a homebred for Ciaran O'Reilly and all the family. It was a good performance from her in the six-furlong handicap too, one that saw her raised 9lb by the handicapper. I think she’ll be just as effective when stepping up to seven furlongs around a bend, so hopefully we’ll find something suitable for her to be competitive again before long.
A win on the board for Bundle of Interest at Navan
For the same owners, there were also a couple of nice runs during the month for a three-year-old filly called Phoenix Pairc, not beaten far when fourth in maidens at Roscommon and Navan. We’ll now wait for an option at Bellewstown next month.
Skydance is a two-year-old filly with a lovely pedigree for Al Shira'aa Racing and she booked her ticket for the Group 2 Debutante Stakes when running a lovely race to finish second in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown; just like we did with Vespertilio a couple of years ago. We probably ended up one horse too far back at Leopardstown, as the race turned out, but we’ll expect to sit closer next time. She’s still a maiden but her form has been working out nicely and we’ve always liked her.
It was a pity that Stella Alpina was just collared late on when beaten a short-head in a maiden at Cork - she’s been unlucky on a couple of occasions down there. Fingers crossed her turn should be coming soon. She certainly wouldn’t be winning out of turn for her owner Clodagh Mitchell and is an extremely honest filly.
Another filly who was only caught in the shadows of the post in her maiden was Sanctijude, who backed up a good debut at Leopardstown by finishing a close second at Gowran. The way the race unfolded, maybe she would have been better served by going harder in the middle section, because I think all she does is stay. With so much good prize money up for grabs, we’ll let her take her chance in the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes next but, whatever happens there, hopefully she’ll find her way in a maiden for the Deegans if able to build on this Gowran run.
A level surface seems to be important to Morning Approach and she ran another rock-solid race when beaten a short-head in second at Dundalk this month - narrowly denied a fourth win around there. A strong gallop looks to suit her best too.
I thought it was a lovely first start from a two-year-old gelding called Chapel Lane in a six-furlong maiden at Navan when third behind two runners with experience. He finished out well from off the pace and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do over seven furlongs next time at Leopardstown.
The Mee family have a close association with the Galway Festival and Enfranchise ran with credit for them at this year’s meeting when third on her first start over hurdles in a year. She never missed a beat in terms of her jumping and possibly just ended up being there to be shot at come the closing stages, beaten by two off lower weights. She was just a bit unlucky, really. We’ll now have a look at the Irish St Leger, with later targets in France for the Prix Royal-Oak and Prix du Cadran also to be considered.
Finally, given she was beaten only half a length in total, it was a real pity for Jancis not to pick up more blacktype in the Group 3 Valiant Stakes, coming out of a bunched finish in fourth. I think she’s a filly who shows her best when getting plenty of space down the outer and she might have done better if not challenging in between runners down the straight. It was still a solid run from her for owner-breeder Arturo Cousino.
On the whole, the horses are running well and showing their form. If they can keep running as consistently as they have been, hopefully we’ll convert more into winners in due course.