By Sean Cronin
Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto unraced Albert Einstein (Wootton Bassett) had received favourable reports in recent dispatches from Ballydoyle and justified his lofty reputation with a TDN Rising Star performance going just shy of six furlongs in Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Naas.
The January-foaled bay's potential was reflected in the betting market and he headed postward as a rock-solid 1-2 favourite for this Royal Ascot stepping stone. Shadowing the pace set by 9-4 market rival Evening Blues (Blue Point) after a professional exit, he quickened smartly to challenge that rival entering the final furlong and easily asserted superiority under minimal urging to hit the line with 1 1/4 lengths to spare. The runner-up finished a whopping 12 lengths clear of the remainder. Albert Einstein becomes his sire's 12th TDN Rising Star and joins an honour roll which includes recent Naas winner Simply Astounding and last year's juvenile Group 1 winners Camille Pissarro and Twain.
“He was never away and that's the first time he's come off the bridle,” said Aidan O'Brien. “You can see his size and power and we're delighted with him. He learned a bit today, Ger Lyons's horse [Evening Blues] had a very good run the first day, and we'll see where he fits in. We always thought he was a [G2] Coventry horse and you'd like to get another run into him before [Royal] Ascot.”
Albert Einstein, whose yearling full-brother died last year, is the first foal produced by G2 Airlie Stud Stakes runner-up Yet (War Front), herself a half-sister to G3 Ballylinch Stud 2000 Guineas Trial third Carracci (Quality Road) out of the dual Group 3-placed Butterflies (Galileo). Butterflies is one of eight black-type performers thrown by dual Grade II and multiple Grade III-winning matriarch Mariah's Storm (Rahy) headed by multiple Group 1-winning sire Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat). Mariah's Storm is also the ancestress of elite-level winners Gleneagles (Galileo), Happily (Galileo), Marvellous (Galileo), Joan Of Arc (Galileo), Decorated Knight (Galileo) and Above The Curve (American Pharoah). Yet was bred to Justify last year.
🇮🇪 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden @NaasRacecourse @IrishEBF_
Naas – Maiden – 2 ans – 1193m – 9 Pts – 18 001 €🏆Albert Einstein (m) (Ire) 🏇W M Lordan
📖(Wootton Bassett (Gb) @coolmorestud – Yet (Usa) par War Front (Usa))🕶️A P O'Brien
🎩D Smith, Mme J Magnier,… pic.twitter.com/89nvL3huff— French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) May 10, 2025
3rd-Naas, €18,000, Mdn, 5-10, 2yo, 5f 205yT, 1:12.05, gd.
ALBERT EINSTEIN (IRE), c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Yet (GSP-Ire), by War Front
2nd Dam: Butterflies (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Mariah's Storm, by Rahy
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €10,620. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Wayne Lordan.
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