By Tom Frary
Kept waiting over three weeks for the re-emergence of Age of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}–Turret Rocks {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) following his highly promising debut at Naas, the Irish racing faithful were able to revel in a second outing full of top-class potential on Wednesday as he became the fifth TDN Rising Star among Ballydoyle's current juvenile crop. Backed into 4-7 favouritism for The Curragh's six-furlong Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Race, the 1.1million gns Book 1 graduate was able to cruise in front under Ryan Moore before being asked to stretch approaching the final furlong. Responding generously, the son of Jim Bolger's G2 May Hill S. winner hit the line strong with four lengths to spare over New Image (GB) (Frankel {GB}), with News At Ten (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) another 4 1/2 lengths away in third. Age of Kings was also providing his Banstead Manor-based sire with a 24th TDN Rising Star in the process.
Look at the latest 🚀 for @Ballydoyle.
Age Of Kings (Kingman, @JuddmonteFarms) is a @theTDN Rising Star 😍 https://t.co/GOZNCoYXjL
— TDN (@theTDN) June 1, 2022
Age of Kings, who was denied by a pixel on his racecourse introduction by The Aga Khan's highly-regarded Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), is the first foal out of Turret Rocks who also finished runner-up to Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and was third in the G3 Silver Flash S. during a fruitful juvenile campaign for Coolcullen. Later successful in the G3 Blue Wind S. and G3 Meld S. and third in the G1 Pretty Polly S., she stood for longevity as well as precocity so it was no surprise that Aidan O'Brien was in no rush with her son afterwards. “We're delighted with him, he came forward lovely from the first day where he was very green. He got it together there, so it was nice,” he said. “They won't all go to Ascot, some will stay at home, and if he doesn't go he could come back here for the [G2] Railway or something.”
Turret Rocks is a half-sister to Beyond Thankful (Ire) (Whipper), who took the G3 Newcastle Cup and was second in the G3 Killavullan S. This is also the family of the G2 Fuji TV Sho Spring S. winner and G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) third Galore Creek (Jpn) (Kinshasa no Kiseki (AUS)), the G3 Stanerra S. winner Cimeara (Ire) (Vocalised) and her 2-year-old full-sister Comhra (Ire) who was runner-up in the recent G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Naas Fillies Sprint S. Turret Rocks' yearling colt is by Too Darn Hot (GB).
2nd-Curragh, €23,000, Cond, 6-1, 2yo, 6fT, 1:14.67, gd.
AGE OF KINGS (IRE), c, 2, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Turret Rocks (Ire) (GSW-Eng, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Fr, $396,000), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Beyond Compare (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Gold Bust (GB), by Nashwan
(1,100,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $19,220. O-Westerberg,Magnier,Tabor,Smith,Brant; B-Farmleigh Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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