Gleneagles Sires Impressive Group Double

Sunday saw Jack Darcy (4g Gleneagles - Pretty Face, by Rainbow Quest) complete a Group double for Gleneagles at Deauville when making all to win the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville.

Paul and Oliver Cole’s progressive charge was never headed in the mile and a half contest and kept on well to beat recent Stakes winner Al Nayyir by a length and a quarter, with another length and three quarters back to dual Group winner Haya Zark in third. Speaking after the race, winning rider Cristian Demuro said, “He has a lot of raw talent, so we decided to kick for home early and make it as dificult as possible for the opposition. He proved to be very tough.”

It marked a career-best for Jack Darcy, who had previously placed in two Stakes races. Bred by Bernard Cooke, the improving four-year-old is owned by a partnership including Gascoigne, Williams, Vincent and Burns.

Earlier on the card, Mill Stream (3c Gleneagles - Swirral Edge, by Hellvelyn) recorded back-to-back Stakes wins over course and distance in the Group 3 Prix de Meautry.

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s charge impressed earlier this month when winning a Listed sprint by three and a half lengths, and was sent off the even-money favourite on his first start against older horses on Sunday.Partnered by regular rider Marco Ghiani, he chased the leaders in the early stages and led a furlong and a half from home. Kicking clear inside the final furlong, he kept on well to beat the 2021 winner Garrus by a length and three quarters.

The performance saw Mill Stream shorten to 11/1 for the Group 1 Haydock Sprint, though connections later expressed their preference for the Group 1 Champions Sprint at Ascot in October, for which he is the same price. Owned by Peter Harris, the exciting son of Gleneagles was bought by Stroud Coleman as a yearling for 350,000gns from breeder Redpender Stud.