Sioux Nation’s Ocean Jewel Shines Bright In Group 2 Stakes

Ocean Jewel (4f Sioux Nation – Many Colours, by Green Desert) made an impressive start to her four-year-old campaign when running out a stylish winner of Sunday’s Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

The Willie McCreery-trained filly earned black-type as a juvenile and returned better than ever as a three-year-old to beat her elders in the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes. Reunited with Billy Lee on Sunday, she raced keenly in midfield and was full of running while her rivals toiled two furlongs from home. Lee looked over his shoulder before pushing his mount a furlong later and she quickened obligingly to score by a length and a quarter.

Speaking after the race, the winning trainer said, “They went no gallop and she was a bit fresh early on, but Billy got her settled and she finished out well. We’ll go on to Royal Ascot now for the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes. There were a few races that we probably should have entered her in, but she would have had to carry a Group 3 penalty and I just said it wasn’t fair on her.”

McCreery added that Group 1 black-type is the ultimate aim for Ocean Jewel, who carries the colours of Al Shira’aa Farms. Bred by Grenane House Stud, the half-sister to Mother Earth (Zoffany) was bought by her owner as a yearling for €230,000. Ocean Jewel becomes a fourth individual Group 2 scorer from the first crop of Sioux Nation, who is responsible for 27 Stakes horses overall.