TDN RISING STARS

June 14, 2007 - NEWBURY, Race , Mdn, GBP £9,000, 6f 8yds, 4.2500, gd/fm

River Proud, C, 2007, by Proud Citizen

1st Dam: Da River Hoss, by River Special
2nd Dam: Jolly Saint (Ire), by
3rd Dam: Jolly Widow (Ire), by

Owner: Mrs Michael Spencer
Breeder: Brereton C Jones & B Ned Jones
Trainer: Paul Cole

It was a measure of the regard in which River Proud is held that he was left in Tuesday's G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot, despite not having set foot on the track. Let go at 17-2, the $75,000 FTKJUL yearling was forced to race wide early near the front rank, but showed a professional attitude to take command approaching the quarter pole and drew away for an emphatic five-length success from Billion Dollar Kid (GB) (Averti {Ire}). "We've always liked this horse and we'd been held up trying to get to Ascot with an attack of ringworm in the stable," trainer Paul Cole explained. "I would be reluctant to run in the Coventry, as it comes a bit quick and he's a big, scopey colt with a future, so the probable route will be to go to Newmarket [for the G2 July S. July 12]. He's got a decent character who is closely related to Da Hoss, and that was an impressive performance." The winner, produced by a half-sibling to the two-time GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Da Hoss--a son of Gone West--becomes the third winner for his freshman sire Proud Citizen, who is himself by Gone West. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £5,829.