PETER and Ross Doyle Bloodstock bought the Prix Robert Papin winner Gutaifan twice – in the sale ring as a foal and privately as a yearling. Bred by Eimear Mulhern and her mother Maureen Haughey, the son of Dark Angel realised €75,000 as a foal. He was purchased then on behalf of Pier House Stud on the Curragh.

Gutaifan’s Group 2 win was yet another boost for Dark Angel who is having a magnificent year. This was his fourth stakes winning juvenile – following Delizia, Promised Money and Birchwood – and one of his 11 individual stakes winners of the year. Breeders who used him at €27,500 this year will be among those filled with glee as his fee is surely set for a major hike come autumn time.

Gutaifan is the last foal out of the winning Lahib mare Alikhlas and the best of her seven winners. The year after foaling the recent group winner she had a dead foal by Clodovil and was retired and she is now keeping Flashing Steel company. She is 21 years old and perhaps her owner will consider un-retiring her now!

Mrs Mulhern purchased Alikhlas with bloodstock agent Brian Grassick as a filly out of training from the Derrinstown/Shadwell draft and she has been a great servant.

Her Anabaa daughter Anne Tudor is still with the breeder and she sent her to Motivator last year, hoping for another Treve. She has a filly on the ground, according to Mrs Mulhern “a really lovely filly, the nicest foal on the farm.” Barren this year, what are the odds on a visit to Dark Angel in 2016 for Anne Tudor?