Ballydoyle’s Straight Up a Poignant Winner for Wootton Bassett at Listowel

[Wandering Eyes]

Following the news earlier in the day of his sire's untimely passing, Aidan O'Brien trainee Straight Up (Wootton Bassett) delivered a poignant win for Flaxman Stables and the Coolmore partners in Tuesday's WTW Willis Irish EBF Maiden at Listowel.

Stalking the pace in second for most of the seven-furlong contest, the 9-4 favourite inched ahead approaching the final furlong and drew off late to assert by three lengths from King Of Sparta (Dubawi).

“To do that without a prior run was a very good performance and Wayne [Lordan] was delighted with him,” said Ballydoyle's Chris Armstrong.

“He is a lovely horse and has plenty of size and scope. He jumped a bit slow, but was able to recover and his last furlong was his best. Whatever he does at two will be a bonus and he could be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year. We'll try to get one more run into him this year and then put him away.”

Reflecting on the loss of the winner's sire, Armstrong continued, “The news was out early on social media this morning and, obviously, he is a massive loss. When you look at the few years he has been at Coolmore, what he achieved was astronomical and we were fortunate to have so many nice ones by him. His progeny have engines, minds and have everything. There are obviously more crops to come, but his death is a massive blow to the whole team. To lose your star is a big one and he was the ultimate. We have to look forward now, so hopefully there are a few more stars to replace him at stud.”

Straight Up is the third of five foals and first winner produced by an unraced full-sister to G1 Yorkshire Oaks victrix Tapestry (Galileo) and G3 Golden Fleece Stakes-winning sire John F Kennedy (Galileo). Tapestry, in turn, is the dam of Group 3-winning G1 Fillies' Mile fourth Dreamy (American Pharoah) and G3 Amethyst Stakes third New World Tapestry (War Front).

The April-foaled bay's second dam is G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Rumplestiltskin (Danehill). Straight Up is full to a yearling filly and half to a weanling colt by Paddington.

 

Straight Up (Wootton Bassett) pays a timely reminder to his late sire's talents, bolting up on debut to lead home a Ballydoyle 1-2 at @ListowelRaces pic.twitter.com/cYBccZ5idY

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 23, 2025

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