By Tom Frary
Directly after the Eclipse, Aidan O'Brien was enjoying another notable success in his native Ireland as the 2-year-old colt Daytona (Wootton Bassett) captured the inaugural Listed Irish EBF Pat Smullen Stakes at Naas. Sent off the 4-5 favourite for the mile contest, the Gowran Park debut winner moved to market-rival North Coast (Starman) approaching the final furlong and soon had the race wrapped up.
At the line, the Wayne Lordan-ridden 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate had 3 1/4-lengths to spare over that Joseph O'Brien trainee as Ballydoyle collected another juvenile black-type contest in 2025.
“Jack Cleary gave him a lovely introduction in Gowran, where for a first-timer he was impressive,” Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong said. “He's come along lovely at home since then, but he's still fairly raw. They went along at a nice pace and he travelled into it really strong, but when he got there he was still very babyish.”
“He has the makings of a lovely horse and next year you could see him over a mile-and-a-quarter,” he added. “He could be one for something like the Futurity or Golden Fleece. He'll develop physically, he's a fine big imposing horse and he's by that sire Wootton Bassett.”
The race, which carries much emotional significance, is part of the new “Smullen Series” consisting of 18 races for two and three-year-olds and Armstrong was quick to pay tribute to the initiative. “It's a lovely new series that they've introduced and all these new series initiatives help the programme,” he added. “It's named after a legend and Aidan picked this race out straight after Gowran for him. He's delighted to win the first running of it and hopefully we can win a few more of them.”
A colt going places ⬆️
Wootton Bassett colt Daytona defies obvious greenness to win the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes with loads in hand.
He's a horse we're going to be hearing plenty more about. @coolmorestud | @Ballydoyle 🔵🟠 pic.twitter.com/FocxbrAB9N
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 5, 2025
The dam is the Listed winner Detailed (Motivator), a relative of the four-times Group 1-winning Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero and sire Sendawar. Also connected to the G3 Prix d'Arenberg scorer Yakaba (Medicean), dam of the G2 Prix du Calvados winner Accakaba (Acclamation), and the recent Listed Prix de l'Avre winner Surabad (Bated Breath), her yearling is a full-sister to Daytona.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
