Impressive Dundalk Winner Snapped Up To Continue His Career In America

[Wandering Eyes]

Impressive Dundalk maiden winner The Padre (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) has been sold to continue his career in California, where he will be trained by Phil D'Amato. 

Bred by John Halley, The Padre created a big impression on his first and only start for his son Josh last month, winning a 1m2f maiden by almost three lengths under Wayne Lordan. 

“We did think a bit of him before we came here and he was probably the best out of my two-year-olds last year,” Josh told Irishracing.com after that debut victory. 

“He showed an awful lot and then his pedigree said he would be a later two-year-old. He is on the market and that's our business,” the trainer added. 

The Padre | Racingfotos.com

BBA Ireland's Mick Donohoe was clearly listening and revealed on Monday that a deal has been secured for the high-class prospect to join D'Amato, where he will race in the colours of Little Red Feather Racing. 

Donohoe said, “Horses like The Padre don't come up too often on the private market and obviously his sire looks as though he is going to become one of those breakout stallions, doesn't he? The Ghaiyyaths appear as though they will stay well which, contrary to what some people believe, there is a strong demand for those middle-distance types and races across the globe.”

He added, “The Padre achieved a good rating in winning at Dundalk and, what was most impressive was how he quickened towards the end of the race, which would bode well for him continuing his career in California–where horses need to have a change of gear. He showed that bit of speed at the end, which is important for America.”

Little Red Feather Racing, which is run by Billy Koch, has enjoyed a good degree of success with its Irish recruits, notably Grade I scorer Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), who also shed his maiden tag at Dundalk before being snapped up by his current connections. 

Donohoe continued, “We have had a lot of success buying for Phil, but it is very easy for Niall Dalton and myself because Phil is a genius at what he does. He is one of the leading trainers in California and excels with these European horses. That makes the thing a lot easier and, between us all, we all know the type of horse that suits California from the pedigree to conformation and we think The Padre fits that bill.”

The Padre formed part of a big afternoon for his stallion, winning at Dundalk before Charlie Appleby's €600,000 Arqana August Sale recruit Opera Ballo (GB) sent tongues wagging when earning a TDN Rising Star for his demolition job on debut at Kempton. The latter is firmly in the 2,000 Guineas picture and Donohoe says he is completely sold on second-season sire Ghaiyyath.

He said, “Even last year when his progeny wasn't running, the word from the trainers was that they liked the Ghaiyyaths but they just needed time, which is a little bit of a Dubawi thing. He could be a very interesting sire, being a Dubawi, because whatever it is in those genetics, they work well when they get to sunnier climes. The Dubawis go on any surface and, when you go to America and the Middle East, they tend to train a lot on the dirt. Dubawi himself, and indeed sons of Dubawi, handle both surfaces very well so he could be exciting.”

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