Nunthorpe challenge still on cards for Lady Iman

The Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes remains a tantalising option for Lady Iman after she provided the O’Callaghan family with another memorable moment in a dream summer at Goodwood.

It is often said that one man’s misfortune is another man’s gain and after bringing the hammer down for £185,000 at the sales before being returned to her breeders following a failed post-sale veterinary examination, few would have blamed the O’Callaghans of Tally-Ho Stud fame for feeling despondent.

However, sent into training with Ger Lyons, Lady Iman has proven a standard-bearer in more ways than one, both excelling on the track in the O’Callaghan silks and becoming the perfect advertisement for Tally-Ho’s freshman sire Starman in the process.

After three straight victories Lady Iman and her striking white face met a bump in the road at the Curragh in the Airlie Stud Stakes, but was soon back showcasing the speed that has been a hallmark of her career to date to leave the opposition trailing with a dazzling display in the Molecomb Stakes.

“It was great to see her win again and we’re living the dream and we’ll see where she takes us,” said Roger O’Callaghan, son of Tony and Anne O’Callaghan.

“She’s been awesome since we couldn’t sell her. Before Christmas she was showing plenty and looked a bit different. She’s always shown loads and her temperament is second to none. She is why Starman looks to be a good stallion, as she has got his speed and his temperament.

“We’re all enjoying it and hopefully we’re not finished yet.”

It was not just the speed shown by Lady Iman on the racecourse the O’Callaghans enjoyed at Goodwood, as unlike their star performer, they were asked to take the foot off their gas when getting to experience horse power of a different kind and invited to try out the South Downs’ famous motor circuit.

And having enjoyed the hospitality provided during Lady Iman’s first raid to Britain, the owners are now left to ponder the next steps of the thriving juvenile’s career.

With a ticket to the $1million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint ready to be cashed in later in the year courtesy of her Molecomb triumph, the chance to become the first two-year-old Nunthorpe winner since Kingsgate Native in 2007 is getting connections thinking after she was made the general 4-1 favourite for a daring raid on the Knavesmire’s sprint feature.

“Personally I would like to go for the Nunthorpe,” continued O’Callaghan.

“Dad and myself own the filly together and dad might prefer the filly to stick to her own age group, but if she’s fit and well, I would like to take on the elders, you have to live the dream and live for the moment.

“We’ll worry about it when the time comes, there’s a few weeks yet and we would have to write a bit of a cheque (to supplement), so we’ll see.

“The trainer is very keen on the Breeders’ Cup and Goodwood was a ‘win and you’re in’. We’ll take it one day at a time, but I would like to go to York next.”