Azada backs up early Classic promise with Listed strike

Dermot Weld’s Azada achieved Listed success when taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Garnet Stakes at Naas.

The Siyouni three-year-old, who is owned and was bred by the Aga Khan, was sixth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas earlier in the term and fifth at Group Three level last time out at Gowran Park.

Ridden by Chris Hayes as a 9-2 shot in the one-mile Garnet Stakes, the bay was always prominent in a field of 16 and comfortably took up the lead furlongs from home to stride to a two-length success.

“It was important that she won that race,” said Weld.

“She ran a very good race in the Guineas and won well as a two-year-old.

“She handles that ground well. It’s on the slow side, but that’s what she likes.

“I would like to have given her a prep run before the Irish Guineas, but the way the programme was this year the Classic trial was only two weeks before the Guineas and I like to have three weeks before a Group One.

“She had been working well and I thought she might be hard to beat today.

“Chris gave her a lovely ride, he was in the right place at the right time, and she idled a bit in front so that’s why he had to keep her up to it.”

He added: “She’s a very big filly and there is a possibility that she may be kept in training next year, but that’s all for future discussion.

“The way she won there you would think there is every possibility she could win a Group race next year. That will be it for this year.”

The other Listed race on the card, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bluebell Stakes, was won by 16-5 favourite Caught U Looking for Noel Meade and Colin Keane.

The mare, who has been placed in a string of Group races this year and was fifth in the Oaks at Epsom and the Irish Oaks, went out on a high as the run was her last for the stable ahead of a date with the sales ring.

Meade said: “I was undecided whether to run her again as you’re always worried this time of the year after being on the go for a long time. She deserved that win and has never run a bad race all year.

“A lot of people were doubting that she would stay, but Colin has been saying all along that not only does she stay, but she wants further. I said to him going out to ride her whatever way he wants.

“I’m delighted as she’s off now to the December Sale and that’s her last run. She’s a valuable enough commodity as a broodmare or as a racemare. I’m sure she’ll sell well and the best of luck to her.

“I’ll be sorry to see the back of her but that’s the way it goes, and we’ll have to get another one.”

The opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden went the way of Joseph O’Brien’s Miracle Beauty, who was ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle to go one better than her second-placed start over course and distance on debut.

“She’s still very raw, a big baby,” the jockey said of the 5-4 favourite.

“She travelled good for the first half, but she’s still learning. She’ll be a nice filly next year.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Bounty then showed a great deal of promise when taking the Tifrums Irish EBF Maiden by four and a half lengths under Wayne Lordan as the 2-9 favourite.

By No Nay Never and out of the Group One winner Rosdhu Queen, the colt made his debut last month and was narrowly beaten into second, a position he thoroughly improved upon under the same jockey at Naas.

“He’s a nice colt and stepped forward from his run in the Curragh,” said Lordan.

“He finds that pace easy so he’s going to be a quick horse. He’s showing that at the moment.

“He handles that ground fine, and he feels like he’ll handle quick ground as well.”