By Tom Frary
Dubawi's Kildangan Stud-based Naval Crown was the latest first-crop sire with a breakthrough Stakes winner on Saturday as Jim Bolger's Sea Of Rain toughed it out in The Curragh's G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes.
Off the mark at Leopardstown at the fifth attempt before finishing fourth in the Churchill Stakes at Gowran, the homebred raced close to the early pace before cruising to the fore passing halfway. Having to battle to the line, the 18-1 answered every call from Colin Keane to prevail by 3/4 of a length from Ballyskeagh (Gleneagles), with a neck separating that Joseph O'Brien-trained Leopardstown maiden winner and the Daniel McLoughlin-trained Damsel In Distress (Minzaal).
“It's no surprise. All she needed was the mile and a gallop,” Bolger said of the winner of this prestigious affair, better known as the Flame of Tara. “I've been telling the lads she's my Oaks filly for next year. I'd say we'll go for the May Hill at Doncaster. I won it years ago with Turret Rocks.”
A Group 3 winner for Jim Bolger! 🤍💜
Sea Of Rain causes an 18/1 upset in the Newtownanner Stud @IrishEBF_ Stakes.@curraghrace pic.twitter.com/XyyG2JZJlW
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 29, 2026
Pedigree Notes
Sea Of Rain's dam Neophilia (Teophilo) is a half to the dam of the Listed-winning sprinter Shiri (Mehmas) and Bolger's Beresford Stakes runner-up Manu Et Corde also by Teofilo. From the family of Teofilo's Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Gear Up and Eyrefield Stakes winner Guaranteed, her yearling filly is by Mac Swiney.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
