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Son of Lope De Vega snaps long losing run in Heritage Stakes
Having not won a race since his victory in the Round Tower Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) in August 2019, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Lope Y Fernandez (4 c Lope De Vega - Black Dahlia by Dansili) finally got his head back in front when he took out the Heritage Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Leopardstown on Wednesday.
The Coolmore-raced four-year-old colt led with a furlong left to travel and quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals, to scamper clear to beat Saltonstall (Pivotal) by an impressive five and a half lengths. Koolasice (Kodiac) was a further head away in third.
The colt - who signed off his three-year-old career with a third place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile (Gr 1, 1m) last November - was purchased by MV Magnier for €900,000 at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale and he is out of five time-winning Dansili (Danehill) mare Black Dahlia, making him a half-brother to Group 2 winner Dark Vision (Dream Ahead).
Further back, the Lope Y Fernandez’s third dam South Shore (Caerleon) is the grandam of Group 3 winner Majestic Dubawi (Dubawi), who in turn produced Group 2 winner Isabella Giles (Belardo) and Listed scorer Majestic Colt (Clodovil).
The colt is one of 78 stakes winners for Ballylinch Stud-based sire and former Patinack Stud shuttler Lope De Vega (Shamardal) and they are headed by 12 Group 1 winners, including Australian top-flight winners Santa Ana Lane, Vega Magic and Gytrash. He is represented in the southern hemisphere by Belardo, who shuttles to Haunui Farm in New Zealand.