By Sean Cronin
Aidan O'Brien trainee Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never–Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) debuted with a runner-up finish in an Apr. 21 six-furlong maiden at the Curragh and made no mistake dropped down in trip for Monday's Listed GAIN First Flier S. back at the Co. Kildare venue. Sharply into stride to race on the front end from flagfall in this black-type bow, the 500,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 graduate was shaken up soon after passing the quarter-mile pole and surged clear under continued urging inside the final furlong to easily account for Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) by 3 3/4 lengths.
“He's progressed from his first run and did it nicely,” O'Brien commented. “He's a fast horse, five or six furlongs would be no problem, and he has loads of speed for five. He's after having two runs now so he probably doesn't need to run again before [Royal] Ascot.”
Whistlejacket is the latest of nine foals and sixth scorer out of Listed Prix de Liancourt victrix and G3 Prix Cleopatre runner-up Adventure Seeker (Fr) (Bering {GB}), herself a half-sister to G3 Princess Margaret S. third Along Again (Ire) (Elusive City). The April-foaled chestnut is a full-brother to G1 Phoenix S.-winning sire Little Big Bear (Ire) and a half to G3 Hobart Cup runner-up Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway). Whistlejacket's third dam is storied champion All Along (Fr) (Targowice).
Monday, Curragh, Ireland
GAIN FIRST FLIER S.-Listed, €40,000, Curragh, 5-6, 2yo, 5fT, 1:04.72, sf.
1–WHISTLEJACKET (IRE), 131, c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Adventure Seeker (Fr) (SW & GSP-Fr, $155,312), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: American Adventure, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: All Along (Fr), by Targowice
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (500,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Peter M Brant, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Camas Park, Lynch Bages & Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €24,000. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $29,882. *Full to Little Big Bear (Ire), G1SW-Ire, GSW & G1SP-Eng, $549,583; and 1/2 to Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway), GSP-Aus, $352,585.
2–Arizona Blaze (GB), 131, c, 2, Sergei Prokofiev–Liberisque (GB), by Equiano (Fr). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (36,000gns Wlg '22 TADEWE; £82,000 Ylg '23 GOFFUK). O-Amo Racing Ltd & Giselle De Aguiar; B-Andrew Bengough & Partners (GB); T-Andrew Murray. €8,000.
3–Monotone (Ire), 131, c, 2, Verbal Dexterity (Ire)–Yes Oh Yes, by Gone West. 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€4,000 RNA Ylg '23 GOAUYR). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €4,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 2 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.83, 2.00, 20.00.
Also Ran: Gran Habano (Ire), Morning Vietnam (GB). Scratched: Usdi Atohi (Ire).
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