LEADING international sire Lope De Vega (Shamardal) made an eye-catching new start in 2020 with his first stallion son. Belardo was a Group 1 winner at two and four and his first juvenile crop featured Group 2-scorer Isabella Giles and Group 3 winners Elysium and Lullaby Moon.

This was also the year when classic-winning miler Phoenix Of Spain covered a triple-digit first book of mares at the Irish National Stud, and now that the grey’s first foals have done well in the auction ring following a second triple-digit covering season, the Tully team has added another son of Lope De Vega to their roster.

Covid restrictions compressed the opening of 2020’s racing season but Lucky Vega, whose Phoenix Of Spain-sired half-sister made €195,000 in Goffs in November, wasted no time establishing himself as one of the leaders of the two-year-old crop.

He beat subsequent stakes winner Lipizzaner in a six-furlong Naas maiden, was a half-length runner-up to future Group 1-scorer Laws Of Indices in the Group 2 Railway Stakes over the same trip at the Curragh, and trounced Group 2 Norfolk Stakes victor The Lir Jet by three and a half lengths for an impressive success in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes.

Aloha Star had been a short head in front of that colt but relegated to third, Laws Of Indices was half a length behind in fourth and St Mark’s Basilica another neck away fifth, still a few weeks short of winning his maiden.

The margins in the Group 1 National Stakes that September were one and a half lengths, a short head, half a length and the same, so it’s likely that Lucky Vega would have challenged for second, if not the top spot, with a trouble-free run. He was then a half-length runner-up to Supremacy and well clear of third-placed Minzaal in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes.

Lucky Vega did not win in 2021 but was among the top three-year-old milers. He was clear of the rest when a short head and neck third to Poetic Flare and Master Of The Seas in the Group 1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, finished fourth to Mac Swiney and Poetic Flare in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, and came up against Poetic Flare again at Ascot in June.

That Jim Bolger homebred was outstanding there, winning the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes by four and a quarter lengths on fast ground, but Lucky Vega held off Battleground and Maximal for second, with Chindit fifth. That was a planned final start for the colt, with an Australian stud season ahead of him.

The €175,000 Goffs Orby graduate, who was bred by the famous Kilcarn Stud of Miss Pat O’Kelly, is a grandson of Group 1 Prix de l’Opera heroine Satwa Queen (Muhtathir), and she is a half-sister to Group 1-scorer Spadoun (Kaldoun) and from the family of the ill-fated Wichita (No Nay Never).

Lucky Vega looks sure to be popular and a source of sprinters, milers and some who are suited to 10 furlongs.

LUCKY VEGA (IRE), Bay 2018. Jt 4th top rated 2yr old colt in Ireland in 2020. Won two races, £304,778, over 6 furlongs, at 2 years including, Phoenix Stakes, Curragh, Gr.1, also placed second in Middle Park Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, St James’s Palace Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Railway Stakes, Curragh, Gr.2, and third in 2000 Guineas, Newmarket, Gr.1.

Retires to Stud in 2022.

Stands at: Irish National Stud, Tully East, Kildare, Co Kildare, R51 DD56, Ireland.

Contact: Gary Swift or Conor Hyland

Telephone: +353 (0)45 521251 or +353 (0)86 6031979 (Gary) or +353 (0)85 1299236 (Conor)

Email: gswift@irishnationalstud.ie

Web: www.irishnationalstud.ie

Fee: €15,000