No Nay Never Colt Lands Curragh Maiden

Merchants Quay (2c No Nay Never - Painting, by Peintre Celebre) led home a 1-2 for the Ballydoyle team in Friday’s six furlong maiden at the Curragh.

Second to stablemate Admiral Nelson on debut earlier in the month, the son of No Nay Never was sent off joint-favourite for the colts’ contest. Wayne Lordan rode the chesnut to chase the leaders and switched right to challenge with a furlong and a half left to race. Leading inside the final furlong, he kept on well to win by a length and a quarter from stablemate Irish Chief in second.

Wayne Lordan later commented that there may be more to come from the winner, saying, “He's a lovely big colt. He'll be better stepping up in trip. He's quite a big horse and felt like he could be still improving. He always showed plenty.”

Owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor, Merchants Quay was a €300,000 yearling purchase from breeder Haras d’Etreham. The son of No Nay Never comes from a family Aidan O’Brien knows well, with his dam being a half-sister to Beauty Is Truth, herself the dam of dual Group 1 winners Hydrangea (Galileo) and Hermosa (Galileo).