War Front Half To US Ranger Takes the Gallinule

Homesman | Racing Post

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It is a measure of how clinical the current team at Ballydoyle have become that whereas it took the late great Dr Vincent O'Brien from 1953 to 1991 to build up a tally of 15 wins in this race, Aidan O'Brien has now achieved the same feat in just 20. His stable have only missed on six occasions since Johan Cruyff (Ire) started the ball rolling in 1997, which alone would be a remarkable record for any operation. The fact is that during this imperial phase of the hallowed Rosegreen establishment it is merely a footnote under the unequalled achievements on grander stages. That said, the Gallinule which is an Irish Derby trial still acts as a reasonably significant race won by the likes of Alleged, Assert (Ire) and Leading Light (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Whether Homesman will ever lay claim to be compared with that trio is unlikely, but he is becoming a more genuine performer with each outing and was overcoming the kind of rain-deadened conditions his sire's progeny are inclined to struggle on.

Having beaten the subsequent winner Modern Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in a maiden over an extended 11 furlongs at Limerick Apr. 30, the bay was surprisingly dropped to a mile next time for a conditions race here and was soundly beaten by Irishcorrespondent (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) as a result. Settled in mid-division early by Ryan Moore, the half-brother to US Ranger was delivered to challenge the maiden Born To Play with 150 yards remaining and dug in to see off his renewed challenge. “It's the first time I've sat on him and he's a fine big horse,” Moore said. “It looks like there is plenty to work with and faster ground would be a help to him, as he struggled to get out of that ground. The size he is, there is plenty of room for improvement.”

US Ranger, who stands at WinStar Farm, was the winner of the Listed Prix Djebel and the Testimonial S. in the States, but that tells only half his story. Narrowly denied by Marchand d'Or (Fr) (Marchand de Sable) in the G1 July Cup, he was also third in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan stretching out to an extended nine furlongs. The second dam is the GI Top Flight H. heroine Andover Way, a half to the GII Saratoga Special S. winner Darby Creek Road (Roberto) who later produced the GII Jersey Derby-winning champion sire Dynaformer. Also among her offspring was the top producer Black Speck (Arch), who threw the G1 Champions & Chater Cup hero Lines of Battle and the G3 Prix Chloe winner War Flag by Homesman's sire War Front. Andover Way is also the dam of the Continental Mile S. scorer White Bridle (Seattle Slew) and her full-sister Alvear, who is the dam of the GI Suburban H. hero Offlee Wild (Wild Again). My Annette's last foal is a yearling full-sister to Homesman named War Cabinet.

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
AIRLIE STUD GALLINULE S.-G3, €65,000, CUR, 5-28, 3yo, 10fT, 2:12.63, yl.
1–#@HOMESMAN, 129, c, 3, by War Front">War Front
1st Dam: My Annette, by Red Ransom
2nd Dam: Andover Way, by His Majesty
3rd Dam: On the Trail, by Olympia
O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Joseph Allen LLC; B-Joseph Allen, LLC (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €38,350. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0, $61,234. *1/2 to U S Ranger (Danzig), Hwt. 3yo Colt-Ire at 5-6f, Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 5-6.5f, SW & G1SP-Fr, SW & GSP-Ire, G1SP-Eng & GSP-US, $481,775. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred”]2–Born To Play (Ire), 129, c, 3, Born To Sea (Ire)–Centreofattention (Aus), by Danehill. (20,000gns Ylg '15 TAOCT). O/T-Joseph G Murphy; B-Mrs C Regalado-Gonzalez (IRE). €13,000.
3–Finn McCool (Ire), 129, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Mystical Lady (Ire), by Halling. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €6,500.
Margins: HD, 2, NO. Odds: 5.00, 9.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Twin Star (Ire), Red Label (Ire), Utah (Ire), Act of Valour (GB), Angel Island (Ire), Vociferous Marina (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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