The last runner we had at the Dublin Racing Festival was Grangee bang smack in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2021. No one was allowed on track bar the participants and to an extent not many of us expected what would unfold in the Grade 2 Mares Bumper.
Grangee and Jody Townend return victorious after their last gasp G2 heroics.
Fast forward three years and WE’RE BACK! The DRF has quickly established itself as one of the best racing events on the calendar. Leopardstown is expected to sell out both days with huge crowds expected to descend on the Foxrock track for two outstanding days of top quality racing and Sharp Object’s owners are sure to contribute to a boisterous crowd.
Sharp Object and Alex Harvey en route to a 4.5L victory over the re-opposing Switch From Diesel.
Aimee has been on the phone all week sorting ticket requests and has managed to sort every single person that applied for a ticket. She does a trojan job looking after our owners behind the scenes. 16 fillies held their ground in what looks like a very competitive renewal of the race. The solid 6/4f Aurora Vega is the choice of Patrick Mullins whilst Barry O’Neill takes the mount on our Cheltenham conqueror, Baby Kate. Willie looks to have a stranglehold on the race but it is a race which can often through up a shock. Afterall, Grangee was an 18/1 victor of the race.
Brilliant to secure black type on just our second start to split the Mullins pair in the Mucklemeg at Gowran Park with SHARP OBJECT @McConnellRacing pic.twitter.com/KoWJqE1Pnx
— Syndicates.Racing (@SyndicatesHQ) September 29, 2023
Based on Sharp Object’s Gowran run when she was only beaten 3L’s by the warm favorite in a Listed bumper on her second start she doesn’t have that much to find. In fact, even on her direct and collateral form with She Is Diesel it brings her closer to Baby Kate through her Ballinrobe victory. Seamus Faheys filly has done her own part by winning her bumper and placing in a hot looking bumper which contained the Champion Bumper favorite after her defeat to Sharp Object. However, she was disappointing on her last effort when sent off favorite for a Listed bumper in Cheltenham when an uncomfortable, tame effort saw her finish a distant 9th to Baby Kate. She deserves to take her place based on form, she ranks as the fifth highest rated by Timeform and as we know all to well this race can throw up a shock result.
Past winners of the Grade 2 Mares Bumper.
Her Point-to-Point jockey, Declan Lavery, hops back on board so she won’t be lacking in the saddle. Over 30 Syndicates.Racing owners are set to descend on Leopardstown on Sunday from all corners so if she’s in with a chance expect the roof to be lifted clean off the place!
Grangee a first time mother
It would be remiss not to follow the above article with some excellent news that our star mare Grangee safely foaled down a beautiful colt foal by the French behemoth No Risk At All during the early hours of Friday morning. She was reported to have taken to motherhood like a pro and we couldn’t be more excited to follow her second career. She gave us all such joy on the track so hopefully she can do the same for her new owners, Coolmara Stables, in her new life as a broodmare.
It’s really rewarding when you see some of our top mares go on to thrive in their next career.
What would you call the No Risk At All out of Grangee if given the chance? https://t.co/CZYQSE6kfE
— Syndicates.Racing (@SyndicatesHQ) February 2, 2024
Stars continue to align for Fifty
Another sale, another cracking result for Fifty Stars. The Tattersalls Ireland February National Hunt sale took place during the week and Fifty had a 100% strike rate with one sold from one offered. Sunnyhill Stud had the sole offering by the Group 1 winner which brought the hammer down at €23k in favour of Tom Keating who operates under the Glenconnor Stud banner.
Fifty Stars strikes a pose at his Sunnyhill base.
That result meant he was the highest priced foal sold at the sale by any first season sire following on from Lady Breffni’s foal being the highest priced filly foal by any first season sire at Goffs. Two colts also reached prices of €24k and €18k at the Tattersalls Ireland November sale meaning breeders are really reaping rewards from a very modest €3k covering fee. He’s the only Group 1 winning son of Sea The Stars standing at stud to win a Group race under 1m and is set to cover another stellar book of mares this year after his excellent sales results. If you have a mare that you think would suit please do get in touch.
Milan Dollar Lady set for Monday debut
After a successful stable tour to Peter Faheys last weekend our unraced Milan 5yo filly has been declared for Punchestown on Monday with Sam Ewing booked to ride. As a half sister to Road To Respect and being by Milan she is expected to improve with time and a trip but she is just about ready to start off. She has plenty of work under her belt and we’re excited to see her on track. The hugely busy start to the 2024 season continues.
Milan Dollar Lady being put through her paces in Peter Faheys. Photo credit: PCequinephotography.
Pic of the week
This weeks picture of the week comes from Tinnakill House Stud stalworth, Maria Dollard, who captured this fabulous picture of Tinnakill bred yearlings enjoying the Spring sunshine during the week.
Could there be another State Of Rest lurking amongst this bunch?
Syndicates Horse of the Week
After our Diamond Boy filly sold out during the week I felt myself wondering how in lords name hasn’t the Jeu St Eloi filly already sold out. She epitomizes the “usual” Syndicates.Racing filly being sharp, precocious, bumper/hurdling type with a sexy pedigree who has the scope to develop into a high-class animal. It was essentially buy one get one half price at the Goffs Arkle sale last year as this was a €50k filly all day long.
Kara de Thaix was purchased for a SCARCELY believable €26,000
I had this week’s Issue done, published and drafted pure delighted with myself ready to enjoy the weekends racing. But then what happens? Second race of the DRF, Grade 1, Willie Mullins, Jeu St Eloi 4yo filly goes and wins the Juvenile Hurdle and my phone starts hopping. Usually in these types of situations Jack and I get very, very excited. In this particular case it is more than warranted as we managed to secure the only Jeu St Eloi filly sold at a store sale last year. If she was worth €50k last year what might she be worth now?
I’d be pretty confident in saying that we’ll look back in 10 years time and Jeu St Eloi will be standing for a private fee having emulated his stablemate Blue Bresil and fellow behemoth Walk In The Park. If you don’t believe me take a look at the top five yearlings sold at Tattersalls Ireland this week. He only had two horses in the whole sale.
Lest we forget these results are from very small French crops which has resulted in a multi-million euro transfer from Haras de Cercy to Rathbarry & Glenview after not only good sales results but the ones that matter, the racetrack results. Another thing to point out is that the son of Saint Des Saints is only just after turning 12. Walk In The Park was 14 when he undertook his first season covering in Ireland whilst Blue Bresil was 15. Essentially, he has at least a two year head start on his main market rivals who are now getting on at the ages of 22 and 19.
Take a step back from sire for a minute and just take a look at the pedigree. I’m conscious that she might come across as a bit of a “wise-guy” horse so I want to dispel that myth and convenience you on just how excited I am about this filly. I’ve had my spiel on her sire, her sales price and I’ve previously spoken about how much of an exceptional physical she is. Put all that aside and look at the pedigree. It’s a deep, young, exciting French family but I want you to just focus on the first dam for a second.
Of her two recorded progeny on RPRs both have recorded some serious figures. Brin De Thaix already has added blacktype to the page but take a look at the ages they are all running at. Her three winners won at three and four and this filly should follow suit. She was in Sonny Carey’s for a week and he said he could’ve taken her to the Curragh for a piece of work, that’s how forward she is. She joins a man who maintains a 100% bumper record for us (two as 4yos & one as an early 5yo) and who has already had considerable success with the sire through the aforementioned Kargese along with It’s For Me who was last seen beating Grade 1 winner Caldwell Potter by a length and a half.
The elegant, strong, precocious Kara de Thaix points her toe in Tinnakill. Could she be the next Grangee?
To really seal the deal, cast your mind back to 2019/2020 (no not the pandemic), and the last French bred filly we sent to Willie Mullins who had a sexy French pedigree. I won’t tell you but she has already featured prominently in this article. She didn’t turn out half bad! If you can’t figure it out drop me an email and I’ll give you the answer.
Community catch-up at DRF
We’re very excited to catch-up with lots of our community this weekend at the Dublin Racing Festival. We’ve got two ways to create a bit more fun this weekend – you can take part in our competition to find the biggest priced winner of the weekend with Champ.ie or on Sunday at Leopardstown you can join us for some drinks on us. If you’d like to join us on Sunday, all you’ve got to do is join our Community WhatsApp group below and we’ll give you directions to the promised land. We’ll tell the barman to get the Guinness ready.
Double seeking Byron gets two shots
Lingfield, Dundalk, Leopardstown, Punchestown and now Newcastle (Australia) are just a handful of tracks frequented by Syndicates.Racing horses over the last couple of weeks. Last-up winner Cape Byron has been accepted for a Benchmark 66 over 1400m at Newcastle on Tuesday. His homework has been good and we’re hopeful he can keep the good run going down under. He will be given an entry for later in the week as the team weigh up which is the best option for him to land the double.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading. Looking forward to seeing a lot of you over the weekend. If there is anything we can do please get in touch john@syndicates.racing.