Brackan Blooms on first start for Qatar Racing
Qatar Racing's two purchases at the recent Tattersalls July Sale in Newmarket have won within a few weeks of leaving the ring.
Halation, who was bought by David Redvers Bloodstock out of Marco Botti's yard and sent to David Simcock, landed a handicap at Sandown last week, and Brendan Brackan (pictured in the ring at the sale) followed up in the Listed Platinum Stakes at Cork last night.
Ger Lyons, who trained Brendan Brackan for Cristina Patino's Anamoine Ltd before he changed hands at Tattersalls, continues to handle him for Qatar Racing. After yesterday's victory he described the five-year-old gelding as "a fun horse and just the sort an operation like Sheikh Fahad's need in its team".
He added: "All being well he'll go for the [Gr.3] Desmond Stakes [at Leopardstown] next week."
Lightning Thunder, who finished runner-up in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish version at the Curragh, also holds an entry in the Desmond, but is more likely to be in action at Haydock Park this weekend.
Lightning Thunder (Harry Bentley) - set for Haydock
Having missed a run at Glorious Goodwood after failing to eat up before the race, she is now being trained for the Listed Dick Hern Stakes by Olly and Hetta Stevens - her new stablemate Alutiq, and the Charlie Hills-trained Kiyoshi are also entered.
Derby fourth Arod, who subsequently hacked up in a three-runner race at Leicester, is another member of the team holding an entry at Haydock, but is more likely to be kept back for the Gr.1 Juddmonte International at York (August 20).
Also likely to miss a weekend engagement are Coventry Stakes runner-up Cappella Sansevero andMind Of Madness, who are entered in the Gr.1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, althoughBeach Belle, who is unbeaten in two runs for her breeder, Lady O'Reilly, is likely to be in the line-up. She is now owned jointly by Qatar Racing and her breeder.
Horses like Beach Belle, who have been added to the string since the QIPCO Guineas weekend, are not included in this year's Qatar Racing Eight to Follow, but competition for the £10,000 first prize remains extremely tight.
Leader George Oborne will be hoping Peace And War takes up her engagement at Haydock on Friday for she is included in his pace-setting stable of horses. He is not alone, however, for of the top five stables (which includes another Oborne entry) four have the Olly Stevens-trained juvenile in their ranks.
The competition is run as a fund-raiser for the charity Racing Welfare, which looks after people in need from the breeding and racing industries. Click on the Eight to Follow logos on this website to see the full table.
Photographs: www.tattersalls.com and Laurence Squire