Lope de Vega Colt Earns Rising Stardom in Curragh Debut

[Wandering Eyes]

   The betting spoke volumes for The Curragh’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden on Thursday and 15-8 favourite Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) duly obliged supporters with an authoritative display to earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ status at the first attempt. The bay had already made a splash when securing the second-highest price–€900,000–at last year’s Arqana August sale and maintained his high profile in some style in the seven-furlong contest. Lope Y Fernandez was settled in a handy fourth after an alert getaway. Making smooth headway from halfway, he was shaken up to lead approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly under mild coaxing in the latter stages to hit the line an impressive 3 3/4 lengths clear of Kipling (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with 1 1/4 lengths back to Mythologic (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in third. The result was yet another Curragh trifecta for Aidan O’Brien, who indicated the winner and stablemates are now possibles for the June 22 Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot. “All three are three lovely horses and you’d be delighted with him,” the trainer said. “Seamie [Heffernan] was very happy with his horse [Kipling] and Wayne [Lordan] was very happy [with Mythologic] as well. The winner could be a Chesham horse and so could the other two. I’d say the winner is nice, he picked up well and travelled well throughout the race. Donnacha [O’Brien] was very happy with him.”
   Lope Y Fernandez becomes the fourth winner from as many runners produced by Listed Ladybird S. runner-up Black Dahlia (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and he is full to a yearling colt and Listed Prix La Sorellina, Listed Prix Madame Jean Couturie and Listed Prix Occitanie placegetter Al Hayyah (Ire). The bay is also half to G2 Vintage S. victor Dark Vision (Ire) (Dream Ahead) while his dam is the leading performer for Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr victress South Rock (GB) (Rock City {Ire), who in turn is the best representative out of a winning half-sister to dual G1 Lockinge S. hero Soviet Line (Ire) (Soviet Star).

2nd-Curragh, €17,500, Mdn, 6-7, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:28.55, g/y.
LOPE Y FERNANDEZ (IRE), c, 2, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Black Dahlia (GB) (SP-Eng), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: South Rock (GB), by Rock City (Ire)
3rd Dam: South Shore (GB), by Caerleon
1ST-TIME STARTER. Sales history: €900,000 Ylg ’18 ARAUG. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €10,780. O-Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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