BALLYLINCH Stud’s stallion team recorded a quick double last Saturday when Marcel (by Lawman) took the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster just a few minutes after Blue De Vega (by Lope De Vega) impressed in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown.
The latter, who was the 10th stakes winner from his sire’s first two crops, has won easily in two of his three starts, all over seven furlongs, he got immediate quotes of 16/1 for the Group 1 Qipco 2000 Guineas, and he holds an entry in next year’s Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas.
Lope De Vega’s son Endless Drama was runner-up in that classic in May, Group 2 scorer Hero Look took the Group 3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) the previous month, and other performances of note for the stallion’s offspring in 2015 include Consort’s third in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes and the fine effort of Belardo to chase home Solow in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, also at Ascot.
It is still early in his career, but this dual classic-winning son of Shamardal (by Giant’s Causeway) looks set to develop a high-profile record as a source of sprinters and milers.
Some of his best progeny will do well over 10 furlongs, as he did on the track, and an occasional one may handle a mile and a half.
Blue De Vega has shown enough pace to suggest that he could be a serious Guineas contender, but with what his relations have achieved there is every chance that he could be the one to become his sire’s first middle-distance star. He was bred by Gestut Ammerland, who bred 2005 Irish Derby and Arc hero Hurricane Run, they sold their latest young star for €32,000 in Baden-Baden as a yearling, and trainer Michael O’Callaghan secured him for €75,000 at the Goresbridge Flat Breeze-Up Sale in May.
HALF-SISTER
The colt is the second foal out of Burning Heights (by Montjeu) and that half-sister to Group 3 St Leger Italiano scorer Burma Gold (by Java Gold) is a daughter of Bougainvillea, a winning full-sister to Borgia (by Acatenango).
The Group 1 Deutsches Derby heroine of 1997, Borgia also won the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden, she was runner-up to Chief Bearhart in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, and third behind Peintre Celebre and Pilsudski in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Last year her son Bermuda Reef (by Oasis Dream) was a 10-furlong Group 3 scorer at Hamburg and her grand-daughter Baltic Baroness (by Shamardal), who is more closely related to Blue De Vega, won the Group 1 Prix Vermeille.
Borgia’s half-brother Boreal (by Java Gold) won the Group 1 Deutsches Derby in 2001 and the Group 1 Coronation Cup 11 months later, and their dam Britannia (by Tarim) took the 1988 edition of the Group 2 Deutsches St Leger.
With this amount of stamina in the family it appears unlikely that Blue De Vega will remain at a mile beyond the early classics, and it is possible that this colt could become a Derby contender.