3 minute read
Through Irish Eyes takes out VRC St Leger
The late Cambridge Stud resident Tavistock (Montjeu) chalked up his 28th stakes winner as Through Irish Eyes (3 g ex Zapurple by Zabeel) landed the VRC St Leger (Listed, 2800m) at Flemington, providing trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace a first win in the race.
Ridden by Mark Zahra, Through Irish Eyes was settled just behind the leaders, with stablemate Silicon Valley (Americain) setting a decent tempo on the front end. As Silicon Valley began to tire in the straight, Through Irish Eyes emerged from the pack to take up the lead, and despite wandering off a straight line inside the final 100 metres, he was able to post a length victory over Salto Angel (Sacred Falls). Favreau (Tavistock) was another head away in third.
Eustace said there were a number of appealing options for the gelding, with the co-trainer earmarking either the South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) at Morphettville on May 8 or the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Eagle Farm three weeks later as potential targets for the three-year-old.
But, as a three-year-old Through Irish Eyes is also eligible for the Andrew Ramsden Stakes (Listed, 2800m) at Flemington on May 15 which provides the victor a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) at Flemington in November.
"That is something that had not crossed our mind but it might be worth considering," Eustace said.
"He's just a really, really nice staying horse. He's still learning his craft, he had a proper wander around when he hit the front, but when the penny drops, he is going to continue to progress with racing.
"He is a big dummy, but he's had a pretty tough life. As a young horse he had colic, so he's lucky to be alive and racing."
Through Irish Eyes once again exemplifies the potency when Tavistock was mated to daughters of Zabeel (Sir Tristam), with the gelding becoming the ninth stakes winner bred on the cross which fires at 10 per cent strike rate of stakes winners to runners. The ennead of black-type scorers is headed by Group 1-winning quartet; Werther, Tarzino, Toffee Tongue and Johnny Get Angry.
Purchased by Darren Weir Racing for NZ$150,000 at Book 1 of the New Zealand National Yearling Sale in 2019 from the Henley Park draft, Through Irish Eyes is out of Group 3 winner Zapurple (Zabeel), whose three other winners are headed by stakes-placed Anchor Bid (High Chaparral).
Zapurple herself is out of Purple Groove (Rhythm), who is herself a daughter of Group 3 winner Irishes (Tate Gallery), who is herself also the grandam of Group 3 scorer Taikun (Anabaa) and Listed winners Flying Fulton (Flying Spur) and Super Groove (Dehere), while further back this is the same family as Group 3 and Group 1-placed Big Party (Exceed And Excel).