Whistlejacket Storms To Group 2 Glory In July Stakes

Whistlejacket (2c No Nay Never – Adventure Seeker, by Bering) ran out a commanding winner of the Group 2 July Stakes at Newmarket, marking a second black-type success for Aidan O’Brien’s charge.

The son of No Nay Never impressed in the Listed First Flier Stakes in May and finished a fine fourth next time out in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, beaten just a length and a quarter. The chesnut stepped up to six furlongs on Wednesday and made all of the running under Ryan Moore. A number of rivals produced strong challenges with two furlongs to race, but Whistlejacket began to run on strongly a furlong later, going on to score by a length and three quarters.

“He’s just a little bit of a raw horse still, a big, big boy,” Moore said after the race. “He does his work quite easily at home. He’s a fast horse and I think we will probably stay at six furlongs for the time being.”

Paul Smith added, “He did it well and we’re very happy with him. He probably learnt a lot at Ascot and he was a little bit green that day, but I think he has appreciated the step up to six and a little cut in the ground and it worked well.”

On future plans, Smith commented, “I think we will look at something like the Prix Morny or the Phoenix Stakes, those two races come to mind.”

Whistlejacket is owned by Coolmore partners with Peter Brant, having been bought as a yearling for 500,000gns. Bred by Camas Park Stud, Lynch Bages and Summerhill Bloodstock, he is a full-brother to European champion two-year-old Little Big Bear (No Nay Never).