Saxon Warrior Filly Impresses With Second Group Win

Lumiere Rock (3f Saxon Warrior - Last Gold, by Gold Away) drew clear to record her second black-type win in Sunday’s Group 2 Blandford Stakes at the Curragh.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained filly lost her maiden tag in fine style as a juvenile, by making all in the Group 3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes, and has proven as good as ever this season. She chased home subsequent Group 1 winner Warm Heart (Galileo) in the Ribblesdale Stakes and was last seen finishing just a head behind Group 1 winner Jannah Rose in a Group 2 at Deauville.

Partnered by Dylan Brown McMonagle on Sunday, she raced prominently throughout the ten furlong contest and was ridden to lead two furlongs from home. Drawing clear approaching the final furlong, she kept on well to win by three lengths, as the favourite Jackie Oh (Galileo) finished strongly in second.

“Lumiere Rock had been running well in really good company all season,” the winning trainer later commented. “She was just beaten at Ascot, just beaten in France last time and she really deserved to win that. She looks like a filly that will hold her own in Group 1 company as she gets older.”

On future plans, O’Brien continued, “We'll see how she pulls out and she will tell us which way we go. The obvious targets are the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp on Arc day and the Fillies' and Mares' race at Ascot. She's an exciting filly.”

Owned by Michael O’Flynn, Lumiere Rock is one of four Group winners from the first crop of Saxon Warrior. Sunday provides an exciting update for her half-sister by Starspangledbanner, who sells at next month’s Tattersalls Book 2 Sale.