By Adam Houghton
Six-figure yearlings River Tiber and Unquestionable, both by Wootton Bassett, head the home defence in the first Classic of the Irish Flat season, but they face stern opposition from a pair of British raiders trained by Richard Hannon. Bargain-buy Haatem, from the first crop of the 2019 winner of this race, Phoenix Of Spain, ran a huge race when finishing third in the Newmarket equivalent, but he has work to do to reverse the form with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred Rosallion, runner-up on the Rowley Mile and a short price to now become Blue Point's first Classic winner.
ATLANTIC COAST (IRE)
Kodiac (GB)–Liwa Palace (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB})
Pedigree/form notes: Though well beaten on his reappearance in the G3 Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial S. last month, this colt had some smart form to his name as a two-year-old, notably winning the G3 Killavullan S.
A homebred from the Al Shira'aa Farms operation, Atlantic Coast is the first winner from two runners to date out of a mare who was Group 3-placed in Italy. His third dam is the G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Aqaarid (Nashwan), who later filled the runner-up spot in the G1 1,000 Guineas, while his fourth dam is the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Ashayer (Lomond).
BRIGHT STRIPES (IRE)
Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Dutch Rose (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB})
Sales info: Bred by Diomed Bloodstock Ltd, he sold to trainer Andrew Oliver for 22,500gns at Tattersalls October Book 2.
Pedigree/form notes: Beaten just a nose by Atlantic Coast in last year's Killavullan S., he proved better than ever with his return to action under his belt when winning the Listed Tetrarch S. His Listed-placed dam has produced three winners from five runners to date, with the others including Sunsprite (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who also gained black type when finishing third in a Listed race at two.
HAATEM (IRE)
Phoenix Of Spain (Ire)–Hard Walnut (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire})
Sales info: Bred by John Bourke, he sold at Tattersalls October Book 2 for 27,000gns to Peter and Ross Doyle.
Pedigree/form notes: This colt returned this year with an impressive victory in the G3 Craven S. and then posted a solid effort in defeat when finishing third in the G1 2,000 Guineas. His dam won twice over six furlongs and is a descendant of Lady O'Reilly's G1 Phoenix S. runner-up Yara (Ire) (Sri Pekan).
MOUNTAIN BEAR (IRE)
No Nay Never–Holy Alliance (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire})
Pedigree/form notes: Bred by Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading Ltd, this colt progressed with racing last season but reportedly incurred an injury when last seen chasing home Unquestionable (Fr) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. He is the sixth winner from as many runners out of his dam, with the others including the Group 3-placed Moon Daisy (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Holy Alliance herself was a three-race maiden and is a full-sister to the G3 Jersey S. winner and G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up Ishvana (Ire).
RIVER TIBER (IRE)
Wootton Bassett (GB)–Transcendence (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})
Sales info: Offered by his breeders Pier House Stud at Tattersalls October Book 1, he sold to M. V. Magnier and White Birch Farm for 480,000gns.
Pedigree/form notes: This colt won his first three starts as a juvenile, including the G2 Coventry S., before ending the campaign with a pair of third-place finishes in the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S.
River Tiber is the second foal and first winner out of his unraced dam, a half-sister to the multiple Listed winner and G2 Flying Childers S.-placed Mister Manannan (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}}. Another sibling by Desert Style (Ire), the Group 3-placed Shermeen (Ire), became a notable producer for Coolmore as the dam of the G1 Phoenix S. hero Sudirman (Henrythenavigator) and the Listed Dee S. winner Star Of India (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), among others.
ROSALLION (IRE)
Blue Point (Ire)–Rosaline (Ire) (New Approach {Ire})
Pedigree/form notes: A three-time winner as a juvenile, including the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred kicked off his three-year-old campaign with an excellent runner-up finish in the G1 2,000 Guineas. His unraced dam is out of the stellar broodmare Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}), whose offspring also include the G1 Queen Anne S. winner Triple Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and the G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).
TAKE ME TO CHURCH (IRE)
Churchill (Ire)–Chances Are (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire})
Sales info: Bred by Magnell Limited, this colt didn't meet his reserve when reaching 20,000gns at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, before selling to Jack Davison Racing for €38,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale. A few months later he again failed to meet his reserve at 52,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale.
Pedigree/form notes: This colt won the valuable Madrid Handicap before finishing fourth in the G3 Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial S. His dam is kin to the G2 Diadem S. and G3 Norfolk S. winner Baron's Pit (GB) (Night Shift) and to the dam of the dual Listed winner and G2 Al Fahidi Fort and G2 Al Rashidiya-placed Bravo Zolo (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}).
UNQUESTIONABLE (FR)
Wootton Bassett (GB)–Strawberry Lace (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire})
Sales info: Bred by Guillaume and Camille Vitse and their children Valentine and Axel, he was purchased by Mandore International for M. V. Magnier and Al Shaqab Racing at the Deauville Arqana August Sale for €340,000.
Pedigree/form notes: The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner is closely matched with a couple of his rivals on last year's form, beating stable-mate Mountain Bear (Ire) at Santa Anita, having previously filled the runner-up spot behind Rosallion (Ire) in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
Unquestionable is the first winner from three runners out of his dam, a daughter of the Listed winner and G3 Sweet Solera S. runner-up Crying Lightening (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Crying Lightening's granddam is the GII Dahlia H. winner and GI Gamely H. third Didina (GB) (Nashwan). Descendants of Didina include the G1 Dubai Duty Free-winning sire Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) and the G2 Temple S. victor and MG1SP sire Bated Breath (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
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