More To Come From Classy Camelot Colt

The promising Chiricahua (3c Camelot - Dowager, by Groom Dancer) gained a deserved maiden win when scoring over a mile and a half at Down Royal on Friday.

The Ger Lyons-trained colt finished second on his two starts last season, in races won by subsequent Group 3 winner Degraves (Camelot) and recent Ballysax Stakes victor Nobel Prize (Galileo). Colin Keane once again took the ride on Friday, positioning his mount behind the leaders and pushing the bay along to lead entering the final furlong. Staying on well, Chiricahua won by two and a quarter lengths from the favourite Silver Fox (Galileo), while Oh So True (American Pharoah) kept on for third.

Connections clearly rate the winner, having pitched him at Group 1 level in the Irish Derby on his seasonal return, on which assistant trainer Shane Lyons later commented, “He's still immature, he's a baby and we asked him a massive ask to run him in the Derby, and it was unfair of us to do that on him with the year it was and without a run. This is more like it - we'll take baby steps after today.”

There should be more to come from the winner, he added, saying, “Being by Camelot, we will look forward to him as he's a big, gorgeous, handsome horse that can have a nice campaign next year. He travelled there and he has a touch of class hence why we ran him in the Derby. There are big races to be won with this lad over trips next year.”

Owned by Mark Breen, Chiricahua was bred by Lynch Bages and Rhinstone Bloodstock. A €125,000 yearling purchase, the son of Camelot hails from the family of Grand Lodge.