By Sean Cronin
Eve Johnson Houghton trainee Indian Run (Ire) (Sioux Nation–Just Wondering {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) bettered a debut third at Newbury with a breakthrough score at Ascot last month and continued on the upgrade with a decisive success in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at York.
Racing under a firm hold in a handy fifth through the early fractions of this seven-furlong test, he loomed large out wide passing the quarter-mile marker and was ridden out once quickening to the fore approaching the final furlong to hold the late threat of Ballymount Boy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) by an ultimately comfortable 1 1/2 lengths.
“That was very exciting and I'm really happy,” said Johnson Houghton. “What was pleasing was that his strongest furlong was his last because he had a really bad trip all the way, trapped on the outside with no cover. This ground is perfect Flat racing ground and he just found and found and found, which is very exciting. He's in the [G1] Dewhurst, so we'll probably look there. He's so unfurnished he needs time, so we'll give him a nice break until then, I imagine. Last year's winner [Chaldean] won the [G1 2000] Guineas, so we shall dream.”
Adrian Keatley was pleased with the performance of runner-up Ballymount Boy and commented, “He's handled the ground and we're happy with how he ran. He's had a long season, having come from the breeze-ups, and we're confident that he'll handle softer ground at the back end [of the season]. He's a big fellow, he went on that soft ground at Goodwood and at least we know he handles that quicker ground today. We definitely wouldn't be losing any faith and we think we have a very nice horse on our hands. We'll back off him for a few weeks and have a look at something at the back end. The [G3] Autumn S. [at Newmarket] or something like that.”
“Well Worth Doing” – Delight For O'Connor After Acomb Result
Eve Johnson Houghton was not the only one celebrating the success of Indian Run in the G3 Acomb S., as Rea O'Connor had successfully pinhooked the youngster for 75,000gns to Ballyhane Stud's Joe Foley at the 2022 Somerville Yearling Sale at Tattersalls just under a year ago.
A farrier by trade, O'Connor had plucked the newly minted Group 3 winner out of the Goffs November Foal Sale for just €6,000 from the draft of John Banahan's Ridge Manor Stud and describes his pinhooking venture as “a hobby.”
“I wouldn't pinhook too many each year, just a couple, and I pick up a few every year, it's just a bit of a hobby,” O'Connor told TDN Europe. “This is by far the best result by a longshot. It was great. It's absolutely fantastic for Joe Foley that bought him. Glad to have him there now and it's great to see him go on, as that's what it's all about.”
As soon as the hammer fell at Goffs, O'Connor already had a yearling sale in mind for the son of the placed mare Just Wondering (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
“When I bought him as a foal, the aim, from the minute he arrived home and when I'd seen him at the sale, was to send him back through the Somerville Sale,” O'Connor added “I thought he was a good, hard-knocking straightforward colt and would suit that sale down to the ground. A nice and early sale for a nice and early horse.
“I think I'd only seen him once at Goffs and liked him. He was [a] grand, good early January foal. Good and strong in himself, quite uncomplicated, really to be honest. I'd say I was just lucky he was in the early lots and maybe a few people missed him, that I managed to buy him. The mare maybe put a few people off. She'd a good few foals and not many winners. I think she has one runner, one winner, but I suppose she was a bit exposed with foals on the ground.”
Bred by Ciaran McGrath, the Jan. 27-born colt is the eighth foal and second winner for his dam, who is a granddaughter of 1999 American Broodmare of the Year Anne Campbell (Never Bend), responsible for the Classic-placed multiple Grade I winner Menifee (Harlan), the three-time Grade I winner Desert Wine (Damascus), and Mr. P's Princess (Mr. Prospector), herself the dam of Fasliyev (Nureyev), et. al. among others.
“He was the type of horse that you wouldn't even know was around the place, he was so straightforward and anyone could do anything with him,” O'Connor continued. “He was a grand, quiet horse and great temperament. I suppose that stands him well in his racing. He was a good, strong, straightforward colt as a foal, very, very uncomplicated.”
After pleasing O'Connor in his prep, Indian Run was sold at Park Paddocks through Timmy Hillman's Castledillon Stud draft, where he caught the eye of Foley.
Reflecting on the transaction and looking toward the future, O'Connor said, “It's all well and good to get a few pounds for him and that keeps the thing going, but it's fantastic when they go on and win a race like the Acomb. It makes looking after him, going out in the morning, in the evening, before and after work worthwhile. It makes it well worth doing.
“Hopefully we can build on that. We can get something more this year hopefully. I'm delighted for everyone involved.”
Pedigree Notes
Indian Run is the latest of eight foals and one of two scorers produced by a half-sister to the stakes-placed duo Vegas Venture (Gold Fever) and Brown Linnet (Ire) (King Of Kings {Ire}). His second dam Ibtikar (Private Account) is kin to MGISW sires Menifee (Harlan) and Desert Wine (Damascus). Descendants of his dual stakes-placed third dam Anne Campbell (Never Bend) include elite-level winners Fasliyev (Nureyev), Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), U S Navy Flag (War Front), Roly Poly (War Front), Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Les Arcs (Arch), Marketsegmentation (American Pharoah) and Blueridge Mountain (Arg) (Giant's Causeway).
Wednesday, York, Britain
TATTERSALLS ACOMB S.-G3, £165,000, York, 8-23, 2yo, 7fT, 1:24.13, g/f.
1–INDIAN RUN (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Sioux Nation
1st Dam: Just Wondering (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ibtikar, by Private Account
3rd Dam: Anne Campbell, by Never Bend
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€6,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; 75,000gns Ylg '22 TATSOM). O-Bronte Collection 1; B-Ciaran McGrath (IRE); T-Eve Johnson Houghton; J-Daniel Tudhope. £93,572. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $155,450. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ballymount Boy (Ire), 129, c, 2, Camacho (GB)–Kasalla (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB). (€8,000 Ylg '22 TATIRY; €110,000 2yo '23 TATGOR). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Fontstown Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Adrian Keatley. £35,475.
3–Loose Cannon (Ire), 129, c, 2, Territories (Ire)–Varega (Fr), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€85,000 Ylg '22 ARQDOY). O-The Loose Cannons; B-Oceanic Bloodstock Inc & Eric Puerari (IRE); T-William Haggas. £17,754.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 8.50, 2.75, 4.50.
Also Ran: Hot Fuss (Ire), Cogitate (Ire), Edwardian.
Indian Run wins the @Tattersalls1766 Acomb Stakes @yorkracecourse! @johnsonhoughton's charge makes it two wins from three starts and scores a shade cosily under Danny Tudhope 🏇
Ballymount Boy stayed on, but could not catch the winner who looks a very smart prospect 🚀 pic.twitter.com/suenQjb9zk
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 23, 2023
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