Back-To-Back Wins For Gleneagles Colt

Saturday saw Royal County Down (2c Gleneagles - Pearl Grey, by Gone West) defy a penalty for his maiden win when scoring over seven furlongs at the Galway Festival.

A winner over the same distance last time out, he was sent off second favourite under top weight in a field of nine. Donnacha O’Brien rode the chesnut in a prominent position and rode him to lead approaching the final furlong. Pushed out close home, he held off a challenge by stablemate Mythologic (Australia) to win by a neck.

Royal County Down completed a treble on the card for Aidan O’Brien and owners Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, following earlier maiden wins by Emperor Of The Sun (Galileo) and Lancaster House (Galileo).

Royal County Down was bred by Lynch Bages out of Listed winner and Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes second Pearl Grey, who has a yearling filly by The Gurkha entered in the upcoming Arqana yearling sale.

Gleneagles has enjoyed a successful start at stud, with his first crop so far yielding Group 2 July Stakes victor Royal Lytham, Windsor Castle Stakes winner Southern Hills and Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes runner-up Precious Moments.