By Tom Frary
Fresh from winning the opening Listed Ingabelle S. on Saturday, Ger Lyons and Colin Keane combined to enjoy the perfect start to Leopardstown's Irish Champions Day when following up in the G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. with Atomic Jones (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Owned by Sean Jones, David Spratt and Lynne Lyons, the bay who had won on his sole start in a seven-furlong maiden at The Curragh June 27 was restrained early from his low draw to race with two behind. Switched outside with three furlongs remaining, the 10-1 shot had plenty still ahead a furlong later but unleashed a sustained surge of acceleration to overhaul Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 100 yards from the line. Battling from there, he registered a head verdict over that 10-3 joint favourite, with Absolute Ruler (War Front) a further half a length away in the first of several close finishes on the day.
Ger Lyons was racing for the first time in person for several months and was rewarded with a remarkable four-timer. “He's a fantastic big, strong Wootton Bassett–to be honest, he's one that I thought I'd be introducing at this time of year with one run before being put away for the winter,” he said. “That's it for this year and I'd say he'll be introduced at the same trip when he comes back, but he is one for 10 furlongs. He's a huge baby and I'd say he's a smart horse with plenty of ability. He's done that without even knowing he's done it, just pure raw ability. I think he's typical of the sire, good, strong and dependable and I love to see horses hit the line strong, as it shows you have something to work with. He's 70% there at the moment, if he is that much. Full credit to Kerri [Lyons] and the team, he was a good buy at Book 1 and Sean [Jones] and David [Spratt] are a huge part of the outfit, so anything I can repay them with is good.”
As his trainer stated, Atomic Jones was a relatively inexpensive 95,000gns purchase at the Book 1 Sale, with his dam Loyale (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire}) being a half to the GIII Dixiana Bourbon S. scorer and GII With Anticipation S. runner-up Keep Quiet (Elusive Quality) and the GII Clemente H. and GIII Pucker Up S. winner Little Treasure (Fr) (Night Shift). The latter is responsible for the GII La Canada S. winner More Chocolate (Malibu Moon), who was runner-up three times at the top level, while Loyale is also kin to the G3 Prix Allez France second Harem Lady (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}) and the listed-paced Annee Lumiere (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), who is in turn responsible for the G3 Park S. winner and GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. runner-up New York Girl (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}).
This is also the family of last year's G3 Prix la Rochette scorer Go Athletico (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) and the GII Goldikova S. winner Rhythm of Light (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), while the listed-winning third dam Bague Bleue (Ire) (Last Tycoon {Ire}) is a full-sister to the four-times group 1-winning sire Bigstone (Ire) and a half to the Listed Prix Imprudence winner Blue Cloud (Ire) (Nashwan). She is in turn the dam of the G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial winner Empowering (Ire) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), who produced the G2 Royal Lodge S. scorer Mohawk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Loyale's son of Anodin (Ire) sells next week in the Osarus September Yearling Sale.
Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
KPMG CHAMPIONS JUVENILE S.-G2, €125,000, Leopardstown, 9-11, 2yo, 8fT, 1:42.75, gd.
1–ATOMIC JONES (FR), 131, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Loyale (Fr), by Turtle Bowl (Ire)
2nd Dam: Luminosity (GB), by Sillery
3rd Dam: Bague Bleue (Ire), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (€75,000 Wlg '19 ARQDE; 95,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Sean Jones, David Spratt & Lynne Lyons; B-Gestut Zur Kuste AG & S.A.R.L. Riviera Equine (FR); T-Ger Lyons; J-Colin Keane. €75,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $100,199. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stone Age (Ire), 131, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Bonanza Creek (Ire), by Anabaa. O-Peter M Brant & Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-White Birch Farm SC (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €25,000.
3–Absolute Ruler, 131, c, 2, War Front–Together Forever (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Donnacha O'Brien. €12,500.
Margins: HD, HF, NO. Odds: 10.00, 3.30, 5.00.
Also Ran: Howth (Ire), Manu Et Corde (Ire), Buckaroo (GB), I Am Magic (Ire), John the Baptist (Ire), Maritime Wings (Ire), Once Upon a River (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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