By Sean Cronin
Last term's G1 Commonwealth Cup hero Inisherin (Shamardal) had failed to fire in two starts since that Royal Ascot career high and, with the benefit of a recent wind operation, bounced back in game fashion to annex Wednesday's G2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes at York.
Well away from stall one to race in a handy third through the halfway mark in this six-furlong dash, the 11-8 favourite came under pressure to make his challenge along the far-side rail approaching the final furlong and kept on resolutely under a Ryan Moore drive in the closing stages to deny last year's G3 Summer Stakes victrix Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel) by a neck. TDN Rising Star Night Raider (Dark Angel) attempted to make all and kept on well once headed to finish 3 3/4 lengths adrift in third.
“We lost a month with him when we realised he had a little bit of a breathing issue and we decided to do it straight away,” explained Kevin Ryan. “The weather and the ground have meant we haven't been able to get him away for a gallop and things were stacking up against us. He's done everything we've asked, he's a big colt now and he'll go straight to [Royal] Ascot. Night Raider went quick, Ryan [Moore] was going to jump and be positive, but it probably worked in our favour as he was able to half fill him up. Had he gone with Night Raider, he might have been beaten two lengths. I said to Ryan 'whatever you do is right' and he got it right, as ever. It would be nice if he was available at Ascot, but today was the first hurdle.”
Looking ahead to options beyond Ascot, the trainer added, “He's a strong stayer at six [furlongs], he ran well in last year's [G1 2000] Guineas and I wouldn't be against stepping him up to seven, now it's a Group One, in the City of York back here.”
Reflecting on the performance of runner-up Flora Of Bermuda, Anna-Lisa Balding commented, “She ran a hell of a race. She's been off the track for a long time and for her to come back and run like that, with the right horse beating her, I think means she's a really exciting filly. She's always shown a lot at home, Andrew has always liked her and mentally and physically she's developed. We were hoping for a big run and she hasn't disappointed us. She's got a heart like a lion and you can't ever take that away from her.”
A quick turnaround is on the cards for third home Night Raider, according to trainer Karl Burke, who said, “The ground has been well watered, the jockeys have been saying there isn't any firm in it and he would appreciate quicker ground. I'll speak to [owner] Steve Parkin and, if he comes out of the race well, I'd be tempted to have a go at the [G2] Temple Stakes a week on Saturday.”
Pedigree Notes
Inisherin is the second of four registered foals and one of two winners from as many runners out of G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Ajman Princess (Teofilo), herself one of eight black-type performers produced by Listed Hoppings Stakes runner-up Reem Three (Mark Of Esteem). That octet includes 2023's G1 Queen Anne Stakes hero Triple Time (Frankel). Reem Three is also the second dam of G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victor Rosallion (Blue Point). The February-foaled homebred bay is kin to the year-younger colt King Of Cities (Dubawi), who ran second in last month's Listed Feilden Stakes, and the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Harper Violet (Lope De Vega).
💪 Inisherin gamely lands the £150,000 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes@yorkracecourse | @kevinryanracing pic.twitter.com/dIRu5mtcES
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 14, 2025
Wednesday, York, Britain
1895 DUKE OF YORK CLIPPER STAKES-G2, £150,000, York, 5-14, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.67, g/f.
1–INISHERIN (GB), 136, c, 4, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Ajman Princess (Ire) (G1SW-Fr, SW & MGSP-Eng, $306,567), by Teofilo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Reem Three (GB), by Mark Of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Jumaireyah (GB), by Fairy King
O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (GB); T-Kevin Ryan; J-Ryan Moore. £85,065. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 8-4-1-0, $764,459. *1/2 to King Of Cities (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Flora Of Bermuda (Ire), 133, f, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Dubai Power (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). (€65,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; €60,000 P/S Ylg '22 ARAUG; £340,000 2yo '23 GOUKB). O-Bermuda Racing Ltd; B-Francisco Bernal (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £32,250.
3–Night Raider (Ire), 136, c, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Dorraar (Ire), by Shamardal. TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (155,000gns Wlg '21 TADEWE). O-Clipper; B-Linden Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Karl Burke. £16,140.
Margins: NK, 3 3/4, NK. Odds: 1.38, 14.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Elite Status (GB), Royal Zabeel (Ire), Marshman (GB), Kerdos (Ire), Rage Of Bamby (Ire).
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