By Tom Frary
Lighting up Salisbury on Friday evening, Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) dominated the Listed Longines Irish Champions Weekend 10-11 September EBF Stonehenge S. as he had his July 27 Sandown novice to suggest he will be a leading light for next year's Derby. Always travelling comfortably under James Doyle taking a lead, the 4-11 favourite was allowed to cruise to Stormbuster (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and when let loose quickly overwhelmed that rival with over a furlong remaining en route to a 5 1/2-length success.
“He was very impressive,” his rider said. “They went a really good pace and this stiff finish definitely suited him. He travelled much smoother today and I was hoping they would take me a bit further to teach him a bit more, but this was a nice stepping stone for him and he's crossed another bridge. He doesn't ride overly-big–he's very compact and well put-together and is learning all the time. I don't think this was the strongest of listed races, so he's going to have to keep on improving.”
🚀 Very smooth
Flying Honours sprouts wings to land Listed honours, quickening up in fine style to complete an across-the-card treble for @godolphin under @the_doyler @salisburyraces pic.twitter.com/t7cUf88chn
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 19, 2022
Fourth on debut in the seven-furlong Newmarket July Festival maiden won by TDN Rising Star Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and a place behind the day's Convivial Maiden-winning stablemate Desert Order (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) July 8, Flying Honours had romped to a 9 1/2-length success over that trip at Sandown last time and this was another visually impressive display as he bids to establish himself in the yard's pecking order.
The dam Powder Snow (Dubawi {Ire}) started out with this stable before joining Henri-Alex Pantall and winning the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air and a listed prize in Germany. She is a half-sister to the Listed Woodcote S. third Sea Of Snow (Distorted Humor) and to the G2 Diana-Trial and G3 Grosser Preis der Mehl-Mulhens-Stiftung-placed Snow (Ger) by Sea The Stars' Sea The Moon (Ger). The third dam is Snow Bride (Blushing Groom {Fr}), the G3 Princess Royal S. and G3 Musidora S. winner who was awarded the Oaks in 1989 on the disqualification of Aliysa (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) and later produced the Derby, King George and Arc hero Lammtarra (Nijinsky II). Powder Snow's first foal is the winning 3-year-old full-sister to the winner Snow Tempest (Ire), while her yearling filly is by Siyouni (Fr) and she also has a colt foal by Invincible Spirit (Ire).
LONGINES IRISH CHAMPIONS WEEKEND 10-11 SEPTEMBER EBF STONEHENGE S.-Listed, £37,500, Salisbury, 8-19, 2yo, 8fT, 1:41.97, g/f.
1–FLYING HONOURS (GB), 129, c, 2, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Powder Snow (GSW-Fr, SW-Ger), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Snow Ballerina (GB), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Snow Bride, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. £21,266. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $32,950.
2–Stormbuster (GB), 129, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Barshiba (Ire), by Barathea (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mr J C Smith; B-Littleton Stud (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £8,063.
3–Signcastle City (Ire), 129, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–UAE Queen (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £4,035.
Margins: 5HF, 1HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.36, 5.50, 18.00.
Also Ran: There's The Door (Ire), Emily's Eclipse (GB), Crackovia (GB). Scratched: Dancing Magic (Ire).
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