Thread Of Gold bids for Eyrefield Stakes glory

Thread Of Gold takes the next step in his career in the Mongey Communications Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

After impressing on debut over seven furlongs at the Curragh in August, the Willie Mullins-trained colt was bought by Team Valor and regular partner Gary Barber, with the son of Ghaiyyath now moving up in distance and company for the Group Three contest.

“I visited Willie a week ago and watched the horse work and he couldn’t look any better,” said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International.

“You just wonder going up from seven furlongs to nine furlongs and also moving up in company will it be too much too soon, I just hope he’s as good as Willie thinks he is.

“He was very impressive on debut and running again over seven furlongs may be a little short for him based on how he ran and his pedigree suggests he should want further.

“It will be very interesting and he’s a very easy, straightforward high-class animal and we can’t wait to see him run.”

Thread Of Gold’s main threat will come from Aidan O’Brien’s clearcut Galway scorer Piazza San Marco, a son of St Mark’s Basilica out of an American Pharoah mare, while the Ballydoyle team are also represented by Christmas Day and Port Of Spain.

The O’Brien family hold all the aces in the other Group Three on the card, with Goffs Million winner Dorset set to be a warm order in the Killavullan Stakes.

Daytona has banked plenty of experience at a high level banked and will also represent O’Brien senior, while son Joseph O’Brien saddles Yaupon De Replay – winner of the Listed Blenheim Stakes on debut – and Spangled Sands.

Also catching the eye on the card is the debut of Druids Glen in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The son of Frankel is out of dual Group One-winner Quiet Reflection and is a brother to last year’s champion two-year-old filly Lake Victoria.