TDN RISING STARS

September 10, 2024 - GALWAY, Msw, EUR €18,000, 8.0F

Trinity College (IRE), C, 2, 2022 by Dubawi (Ire)

1st Dam: Hermosa (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Beauty is Truth (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Zelding (Ire), by Warning (GB)

Owner: Masaaki Matsushima & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
Breeder: Coolmore (IRE)
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Fitted with blinkers after two defeats, Ballydoyle's Trinity College (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}-Hermosa {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) took a mighty leap forward at Galway on Tuesday to bring the stable's tally of TDN Rising Stars among its juveniles in 2024 to a dozen. Fourth last time behind fellow TDN Rising Star Hill Road (Quality Road) at Leopardstown, the 10-11 favourite tanked his way to the front soon after the start of the card's opening extended-mile maiden with Wayne Lordan unable to contain him in the first-time headgear. Producing a sustained surge out of the back straight to put daylight between him and his struggling rivals, the son of the 1,000 Guineas heroine hit the line strong with 12 lengths to spare over the newcomer Minella Boss (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}).

"At home he had shown plenty of ability but was just very babyish and when we put the blinkers on him at home, he seemed to come forward," stable representative Chris Armstrong said of the 44th TDN Rising Star for Dubawi who was carrying the silks of part-owner Masaaki Matsushima. "He had been lazy, but is very genuine and it helped him to travel well. He had been coming on nicely at home, Wayne was very happy with him and thought he would come on well from his last run."

"He is a horse with plenty of ability, will make into a lovely middle-distance horse next year and will stay very well. After this weekend, we will see where he fits in and could be one for the Beresford or Eyrefield Stakes-he is in all those group races. He is still a big baby, but has the makings of a very nice horse."

This was the maiden used by Aidan O'Brien in recent times as a springboard for the current St Leger hope Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), star stayer Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the Irish Derby hero Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), so it carries some significance. Hermosa, who also broke her maiden over seven furlongs here during the track's festival in 2018, was a front-running tour de force who when fully seasoned was able to dominate the Newmarket Classic and the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Interestingly, Trinity College was one of the three Ballydoyle colts chosen to take part in The Curragh's Barronstown Stud Maiden in June, an important race for the stable with the other two being the subsequent winners Bernard Shaw (Into Mischief) and Rock Of Cashel (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), with the former scoring by nine lengths at Dundalk next time. Other winners to have come from that seven-furlong maiden are Green Impact (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Apples And Bananas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and the G2 Richmond Stakes scorer Black Forza (Complexity).

Pedigree Notes
Hermosa, whose first foal was the Leopardstown maiden winner Igor Stravinsky (Ire) (No Nay Never), is out of the G2 Prix du Gros-Chene winner Beauty Is Truth (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) whose other two group 1-winning Galileo progeny are this yard's Matron Stake and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Hydrangea (Ire) and the Rawson Stakes scorer The United States (Ire). Hydrangea is responsible for tis year's Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes winner and G3 Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes-placed Wingspan (Ire) by Dubawi and is also kin to the multiple group winner and dual group 1-placed Fire Lily (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and to the dam of the G1 Coronation Stakes third Sounds Of Heaven (GB) (Kingman {GB}).