By Sean Cronin
Sunday's William Hill Ireland Play Responsibly Irish EBF Maiden over seven furlongs at The Curragh looked deep on paper and a deeply impressive display it produced, with John Lavery's 2-year-old colt New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), a £65,000 Goresbridge breeze-up graduate, attaining 'TDN Rising Star' status in exciting fashion. The eventual winner, 'fifth' and 'first' in recent Dundalk barrier trials, was not without support at 11-1 odds and made a slick getaway to hold sway under a firm hold from flagfall. Hard on the steel with all rivals under pressure passing the two pole, he was allowed an inch of rein by Robbie Colgan entering the final furlong and powered clear in style to outpoint Sir Antonino (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by 2 1/2 lengths. Paris Lights (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), a full-brother to five-time Group 1 winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr), shaped with promise and ran on well in the closing stages to finish fifth.
“I really have to thank Gary Halpin, who gave this horse a big recommendation,” said trainer Sheila Lavery. “He didn't put the gun to his head at the Breeze-Ups because he was suffering a little bit from sore shins. I left him in today, but I was praying for rain just to ease the ground a bit. I thought so much of him that he had an entry in the [G2] Beresford, but I didn't want his first run to be at that level and have a hard race. He has a [G1 Irish 2000] Guineas entry and I think he's something very special. He has a very natural high cruising speed and ran twice in barrier trails. He was very green the first time, when I didn't put a cross noseband on him, and he won the second time. I would love to run him in a winners-of-one, but those sort of races are really missing from the programme. He could go for something like the [G3] Killavullan S. at Leopardstown.”
New Energy is the seventh of eight foals and becomes the fifth scorer produced by For Joy (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), whose leading performer to date is G3 Premio Elena E Sergio Cumani victrix Victoria Regina (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). For Joy, who has a yearling colt by Profitable (Ire) to come, is a winning full-sister to G3 Autumn S. victor Abjer (Fr) and G3 Henry II S. victrix Gloomy Sunday (Ire). The winner's second dam, Listed Prix Scaramouche winner Fine and Mellow (Fr) (Lando {Ger}), is one of four black-type winners bred from the Belgian champion and Listed Belgian St Leger heroine Mika Red (Bel) (Red Steps). Descendants of the latter include Listed Belgian 1000 Guineas-winning duo Mika Gallery (Ire) (Tate Gallery) and Baie des Anges (Bel) (Pas de Seul {GB}). For Joy's Profitable yearling is catalogued as Lot 566 in next month's Tattersalls October Book 2.
.2nd-Curragh, €16,500, Mdn, 9-26, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.51, gd.
NEW ENERGY (IRE), c, 2, by New Bay (GB)
1st Dam: For Joy (GB), by Singspiel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Fine and Mellow (Fr), by Lando (Ger)
3rd Dam: Mika Red (Bel), by Red Steps
1ST-TIME STARTER. (£65,000 2yo '21 TATGOR). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $11,601. O-John Lavery; B-Anne Hallinan & John O'Connor (IRE); T-Sheila Lavery. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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