Performance Review
March 2022
It's fantastic to be up and running once again for the new turf season, and all of us here at Rathbride are looking forward to what lies in store over the months ahead.
Fingers crossed, we seem to have a nice bunch of roughly 20 two-year-olds and 35 three-year-olds to represent us in 2022. There are plenty of maidens among them who will hopefully start off the coming weeks and months.
We were delighted to get a winner on the board on the opening day of the season at the Curragh thanks to Mogwli, who wasn't winning out of turn in what looked a competitive six-furlong handicap.
He was bred by Amanda and ran very consistently last season without winning, so it was nice to see him get his head in front under a good ride from Nathan Crosse. Things didn't quite fall his way when turning out the following week at Navan but he still ran respectably. Hopefully he'll continue to pay his way over the summer months.
On the same card, I thought it was a cracking run from Insinuendo when finishing second to last year's 1,000 Guineas winner Mother Earth in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes.
It looked like a nice race to start her back and we were delighted with her performance. After winning at Group 2 and Group 3 level last year, our aim for 2022 is to hopefully pick up some Group 1 black type with her.
Mogwli wins on opening day of the season at the Curragh
Downforce has been a great stalwart for us down through the years and he didn't run badly on ground that would have been quicker than ideal for him at the Curragh. He still seems to be in great form at the age of ten.
Our only other runner of the month came at Navan in the shape of Helpmeout, who ran well when third in a handicap on her first try at ten furlongs. A homebred filly for Redpender Stud, we'll be doing our best to get her head in front in due course.
It's an exciting time of year for everyone here at Rathbride. Hopefully we can build on what has been a positive start to the year as the season progresses.