By Sean Cronin
Coolmore and Westerberg's newcomer River Thames (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) sported Michael Tabor's second colours for Tuesday's BetVictor Supporting Irish Racing Maiden at Punchestown, but was very much first choice coming home and shaped with abundant promise by earning TDN Rising Stardom with a neck defeat of stablemate Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). He was isolated in a mid-division berth as the field stretched out over many lengths through halfway. Making impressive headway under pressure off the home turn, the 5-1 chance quickened smartly to take second entering the final furlong and kept on strongly under mild rousting to deny his rallying stablemate Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a neck nearing the line, becoming the 16th winner for his freshman sire (by Galileo {Ire}).
“He's quite a big colt that has always showed something at home and over the last month he's started to come together nicely,” said winning rider Wayne Lordan of the Sept. 25 G2 Beresford S., Sept. 25 G2 Royal Lodge S. and Oct. 23 G1 Vertem Futurity entry. “He showed his greenness through the first half [of the race] and, when the penny dropped, he started to come home well. From about three [furlongs] out, he started to come forward with me and from there I started to get confident. The runner-up is a fine, big, genuine horse too and I think my fellow may have had a little bit more class on the day. He's a very good-looking horse, as everyone could see beforehand, and whatever he does for the rest of the year will be a bonus as I think next year will be a good year for him. He has a good mind, which is always a plus, and he'll improve plenty for the run here.”
River Thames is the second of four foals and first scorer produced by a winning full-sister to G3 Princess Margaret S. victrix Angel's Hideaway (Ire) and MGSP G2 Mill Reef S. second Perfect Angel (Ire). His stakes-placed second dam The Hermitage (Ire) (Kheleyf) is kin to a trio of black-type performers, including stakes-winning G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks third Crown of Light (GB) (Mtoto {GB}) and stakes-winning G1 Grand Criterium placegetter Alboostan (GB) (Sabrehill). Crown of Light, in turn, is the dam of MGSP dual stakes scorer Balkan Knight (GB) (Selkirk). The March-foaled bay is a full-brother to a weanling filly and half to a yearling filly by Cracksman (GB). The latter is slated to sell as Lot 1112 at next month's Tattersalls October Book 2 fixture.
2nd-Punchestown, €12,000, Mdn, 9-14, 2yo, 7f 200yT, 1:41.03, gd.
RIVER THAMES (IRE), c, 2, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Where's Sue (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire)
2nd Dam: The Hermitage (Ire), by Kheleyf
3rd Dam: Russian Countess, by Nureyev
1ST-TIME STARTER. (320,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Westerberg; B-Mountain View Stud & J C Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €7,080. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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