Performance Review
May 2026
There was a day to remember for the yard this month when Jancis notched the biggest win of her career in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes on Guineas weekend at Newmarket.
Jancis' biggest win of her career at Newmarket
We’ve always had a lot of faith in this mare - she was already a Group 3 winner at Leopardstown - but this was a big success on the first start of her five-year-old season. I’m thrilled for her owner-breeder Arturo Cousino, whose colours have a rich history overseas. It’s lovely to get this for him with a home-bred like Jancis. Sean Levey gave her a good ride.
We know she’s a mare who likes some space on her outer and she didn’t run badly when fifth from an inside draw in stall one in the Lanwades Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Irish Guineas weekend. We’re looking forward to having a crack at the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot next month. She enjoys fast ground and that’s a race that could suit her well.
There was a good evening’s work at Gowran Park during the month too when Billy Lee rode a double for us.
After a string of good efforts without quite getting her head in front, Sanctijude got her deserved reward when winning the mile fillies’ maiden on the card. The race worked out nicely for her and it was a great result for Michael and Dympna Deegan, whose colours have been lucky with us through some smart fillies.
A deserved win for Sanctijude at Gowran Park
Earthsong is one who patience has paid off with as well. She’s been growing and getting stronger within herself, and it was important to get a winning bracket with her for the team at Al Shira'aa Racing. She kept on well from a handy position in the mile-and-six-furlong handicap, and that performance backed up some consistent.
Earthsong makes it a second win at Gorwan Park
We’ve been knocking on the door with Happy Henry and hopefully it’s about to open for him soon. After three straight placed efforts in sprint handicaps at Sligo, Navan and Fairyhouse, we’ll set our sights on another similar handicap at Navan next month. Fingers crossed he’ll be bang there again.
Miss Romagna took a step in the right direction when runner-up in a Cork fillies’ maiden over a mile and a quarter. She finished well clear of the third and stuck at it well. We’ll be trying to find an opportunity for her to get off the mark for her owner Giampiero Vellucci.
Elsewhere during the month, Coul Dreamer ran a solid race when third in a Killarney maiden for Ray Jennings and Phil McAuley, and Steel Magnolia wasn’t beaten far in third at Cork. If she can keep running with the type of consistency she’s started her year with in sprint handicaps, hopefully she’ll get her turn in due course.
Overall, a total of 22 of our 33 runners finished in the prize money this month and it was fantastic to get a fairly prominent Group 2 winner on the board in the UK. We’ll be doing everything in our power to drive on from here towards a good summer ahead.