By Tom Frary
Old Glory (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) began the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Naas the 6-4 favourite based on a number of factors, with one of them being the fact he was the 2017 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale topper at €1.6million. Racing in the Zayat Stables silks, the bay who is owned in partnership with Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith broke well before being positioned just off the pace by Donnacha O'Brien. Moving smoothly to the front with a furlong remaining, he eased clear of Erich Bloch (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
Aidan O'Brien was on hand to witness a perfect racing introduction for the half-brother to the G2 Herbert Power S. winner Assign (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), MGSW-Aus, $504,170, and the G3 Scandinavian Open Championship and G3 Oslo Cup-winning champion Giuseppe Piazzi (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Ch. Older Horse & Stayer-Scandinavia, $123,361, and said, “We're delighted. He's a lovely horse I'd say to win first time like that, as he'll come forward plenty. John who rides him in his work was very happy with him and so was Seamus and everyone close to him. We've always liked him and Donnacha said he travelled well, did everything well and took a blow. We'd like to go steady and we won't overdo it, so the seven-furlong race at Leopardstown [the Oct. 20] G3 Killavullan S.] or something like that will do. He's a horse that will stay much further than seven.”
Belesta, who also has a yearling colt by Starspangledbanner (Aus), raced for her breeder George Strawbridge and the Freddy Head stable to a fair level without success before being sold to Marlhill House Stud for 280,000gns at the 2010 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Her first foal was the aforementioned Assign who began life at Ballydoyle as Adjusted before moving to Robert Hickmott and racing for the Williams family and who was fourth to Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in last year's G1 Turnbull S. Giuseppe Piazzi started out wit Andre Fabre before making waves in Scandinavia, while her 3-year-old filly Tissiak (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was thought good enough by Joseph O'Brien to race in the recent G1 Irish Oaks. Belesta's dam Bellarida (Fr) (Bellypha {Ire}) took the G3 Prix de Royaumont before producing In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) who captured the G3 Prix de Flore before throwing the pair of Strawbridge group 1 winners by Dansili (GB), With You (GB) and We Are (Ire). This is also the family of Hong Kong's champion stayer Dominant (Ire) (Cacique {Ire}), the G2 Lennox S.-winning sire Es Que Love (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) and this year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Teppal (Fr) (Camacho {GB}), as well as the G3 Chartwell Fillies' S. winner and G1 Matron S. runner-up Lily's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
9th-Naas, €16,500, Mdn, 9-19, 2yo, 7fT, 1:29.22, gd.
OLD GLORY (IRE), c, 2, by Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Belesta (GB), by Xaar (GB)
2nd Dam: Bellarida (Fr), by Bellypha (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lerida (Fr), by Riverman
Sales history: €1,600,000 Ylg '17 GOFOR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $11,863.
O-Zayat Stables LLC, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Rockhart Trading Ltd. (Ire); T-Aidan O'Brien. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.[bullet ad=”justin-casse-old-glory”]
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