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Group One winners among high-class entry for Ballyroan Stakes

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023

Leopardstown welcome Grant Thornton back to continue their sponsorship of the Group Three Ballyroan Stakes on August 4.

Group One heroine La Petite Coco provided trainer Paddy Twomey with a memorable first win at the highest level and she heads the entries for the Grant Thornton Ballyroan Stakes along with another Group One-winning filly, Dermot Weld’s dual Irish St Leger victor Search For A Song.

Speaking on behalf of Grant Thornton, Sasha Kerins, Partner, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our sponsorship of the Group Three Ballyroan Stakes with Leopardstown and providing our support to the thoroughbred industry.”

A total of 30 entries have been received for the valuable 1m4f contest at Leopardstown and Twomey is responsible for four other notable entries. The Twomey-trained Rosscarbery finished third behind La Petite Coco before her high-profile disqualification from that race and has subsequently won the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown.

Beamish is unbeaten in all three outings for the trainer, two of which have come this season, while Earl Of Tyrone has completed a hat-trick of wins since April. Twomey’s other potential representative is Listed winner and Group Three-placed Rumbles Of Thunder.

La Petite Coco is being geared towards a tilt at a number of major targets in the latter half of the season, including the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Longines Irish Champions Weekend.

Twomey commented: “La Petite Coco is in good form since winning the Pretty Polly. We’ve won our Group 1 now but the Grant Thornton Ballyroan is an option if we were looking for suitable prep race into the big autumn races and that’s why she was entered, with that possibility in mind.”

Of Rosscarbery, who has five wins under her belt this season including the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown this month, he added: “Rosscarbery won the last day with her Group 3 penalty so she’s proved she can operate at that sort of level with a penalty. She has been well since and the mile and a half would probably be her optimum trip. It is a race that would definitely be suitable for her.”

Beamish is the most lightly raced of the five Twomey entries having had just three starts so far. The four-year-old old registered a Leopardstown maiden victory last year and has added two successes this term. The trainer said: “Beamish is in great form. He’s a very progressive horse. He’s ran three times, he’s won three times and that would be a suitable race for him if it fell into place on the day. He’s four but has low mileage so he’s still improving.

“I think Rumbles Of Thunder is versatile anywhere from a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half,” added Twomey of a filly who was a close fourth at Group 2 level yesterday (Sunday). “She’s that sort of standard and if things fell into place for her, she has shown that she is that level and we will see closer to the time where they all fit in.”

Of Earl Of Tyrone, who has been another revelation this season, Twomey concluded: “Earl Of Tyrone has been very progressive all year winning his last three, from his maiden to a premier handicap to a Listed race. He’s a nice horse who stays well and he’s a potential runner too.”

Dermot Weld is the most successful trainer in the race with 10 wins to date and as well as Search For A Song he has also given the option to Azallya, Duke De Sessa and Falcon Eight.

Impressive recent Curragh winner Aikhal and Group 2 victor Lily Pond, who had Rumbles Of Thunder behind yesterday (Sunday), head Aidan O’Brien’s seven entries, while his son Joseph is represented by Cleveland, Gear Up and Inuit, while Donnacha O’Brien may run Moon Daisy and Simply Glorious.

Fresh from her success in the Irish Oaks, Jessica Harrington could search for another big prize with Forbearance, Sandhurst and Taipan her potential runners and Ger Lyons has also entered a nice team headed by Thunder Kiss, who was third to La Petite Coco in the Pretty Polly.

The Grant Thornton Ballyroan Stakes is part of the Longines Irish Champions Weekend Free Entry Scheme, meaning that connections of the winner will have their cost of running in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger reimbursed. In all, seven of the Grant Thornton Ballyroan Stakes entrants qualify: Azallya, Falcon Eight, Search For A Song (Dermot Weld), Sandhurst (Jessica Harrington), Bluegrass, Martinstown (Aidan O’Brien) and Thunder Kiss (Ger Lyons).

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