U S Navy Flag Colt Strikes For Stakes Success

Saturday saw Ocean Vision (2c U S Navy Flag - Balaagha, by Mr Greeley) make a perfect start to his French career in the Listed Prix de la Vallee d’Auge at Deauville.

The first crop son of U S Navy Flag made a winning debut in April, and after finishing fourth in a pair of Stakes races, made the switch to Tim Donworth’s Chantilly stable. Dropping back to five furlongs on his stable debut, he raced at the back of the field under Maxime Guyon and ran on well close home to score by a short neck. Relegated to runners-up honours was Group 2 Prix Robert Papin third Vicious Harry, while other beaten rivals included Windsor Castle Stakes third and Weatherbys Super Sprint winner Eddie’s Boy.

“That was magic!” said Donworth, who was enjoying his first Stakes success as a trainer. “He came from Ireland and has always showed plenty at home. We were chancing it a bit on figures, but I knew he had a huge finish.”

Owned by Mrs Ryan and Jonathan Kirkland, Ocean Vision becomes the first Stakes winner bred by Mighty Universe out of the mare Balaagha. The smart colt hails from the first crop of champion two-year-old U S Navy Flag, as does the similarly speedy Love Reigns (U S Navy Flag)- a wide margin winner on debut at Keeneland, before finishing fourth in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes.