THERE were some exciting and some impressive performances among those who won the most prestigious events in Europe last weekend, but one of the most eye-catching came in a Group 3 contest, in which a lightly-raced colt won in a style that suggested Group 1 success awaits, and in a time that hinted he may already be good enough to succeed at that level.
Last year Moyglare Stud’s home-bred Free Eagle (by High Chaparral) created such a favourable impression on his debut, when beating Orchestra by five and a half lengths over a mile at Leopardstown, that many saw him as a potential Derby hero in the making.
Indeed, so strong was the enthusiasm he generated with that opening strike that he was sent off at 2/5 to beat Australia in the Group 3 Icon Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Trial Stakes, over the same course and distance, the following month.
As we all know, Australia trounced him by six lengths, and immediately took over as many people’s idea of the potential Derby hero of 2014, and with the manner in which Free Eagle won the Group 3 KPMG Enterprise Stakes, over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown on Saturday, we can only speculate as to what might have happened had an injury not delayed his return until then.
It is easy to get carried away by the flashiness of a wide margin win, but when Free Eagle clocked a time that was 0.06 seconds faster than that recorded by The Grey Gatsby in the Group 1 Qipco Irish Champion Stakes less than two hours later, it could be argued that he showed Group 1 ability on what was his first outing in 12 months, and that is exciting.
His sire High Chaparral (by Sadler’s Wells) is well-established as being an important stallion in two hemispheres, and his tally of 10 individal winners at the highest level includes the 2014 European Group 1 stars Lucky Lion and Toronado.
Free Eagle is the fourth foal out of Polished Gem (by Danehill), an 11-year-old full-sister to the Grade 1 scorer Dress To Thrill, daughter of the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Trusted Partner (by Affirmed), and already established as being one of Europe’s top broodmares.
Sapphire (by Medicean) is her first foal, she was also trained by Dermot Weld, and her six wins feature the Group 2 Qipco British Champions’ Fillies and Mares Stakes, the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes, and the Group 3 Noblesse Stakes.
She also chased home Izzi Top in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes, and was runner-up to Maniree in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes.
Polished Gem’s second foal began his career with Weld, spent time in the George Kent stable, but has been a member of the David O’Meara team since early March, and although always talented, this summer has seen him at his peak.
Custom Cut (by Notnowcato) has now won nine of his 35 starts, he has been placed another nine times, and he has reeled off a blacktype four-timer in recent months, starting with mile Listed contests at Windsor and Pontefract, and completed by the Group 3 Desmond Stakes and the Group 3 Strensall Stakes.
Last year he won the Group 3 Gladness Stakes, and before that he won several seven furlong handicaps.
TALENTED FAMILY
The only one of Polished Gem’s first four foals that has not been a pattern winner is Amber Romance (by Bahamian Bounty), a four-year-old filly whose third and most recent outing came at Leopardstown in early April when she won a 10-furlong handicap, in heavy ground, by three and a quarter lengths.
Polished Gem’s two-year-old is a colt named Valac (by Dark Angel), she does not have a yearling, but she had a Dubawi (by Dubai Millennium) colt in early February.
This is one of Moyglare Stud’s most famous families, and yet Trusted Partner, Dress To Thrill, and Polished Gem’s offspring are just the tip of the iceberg.
Trusted Partner is one of 11 winners out of the US juvenile champion Talking Picture (by Speak John), and that dual Grade 1 star also produced the Moyglare-bred blacktype scorers Low Key Affair, Epicure’s Garden, and Easy To Copy - all full-sisters to the 1988 Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine.
Those who descend from these fillies include the Group 2 Blandford Stakes winner Lisieux Rose (by Generous), the US Grade 2 scorers Amira’s Prince (by Teofilo) and Dixieland Gold (by Dixieland Band), the multiple pattern scorer Two-Twenty-Two (by Fairy King), and this year’s Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris star Gallante (by Montjeu).
Free Eagle is a regally related colt with considerable potential, and who has now put up a performance that made him look like a Group 1 star in the making. It is to be hoped that misfortune is now behind him, and that he gets the chance to show us what he can really do.