Breakthrough Group winner for Make Believe as Rose Of Kildare blooms at Ayr

Ballylinch Stud's first-season sire Make Believe passed a significant milestone on Saturday when Rose Of Kildare became his first black type winner with a game success in the Group 3 William Hill Firth Of Clyde Stakes at Ayr.

The Mark Johnston-trained filly has been a real flagbearer for her sire, having won four of her 11 starts, a record that includes a victory at Redcar in May, when she became the first progeny of Make Believe to pass the post in front.

Bred by Wansdyke Farms, Rose Of Kildare is the second foal out of Cruck Realta, a daughter of Sixties Icon who won three times, including the 2013 Listed Ballymacoll Stud Stakes, during her time in training with Mick Channon.

Make Believe strikes a pose at Ballylinch StudCredit: Peter Mooney

Despite being out of such a well-performed mare, Johnston had to pay just €3,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale to acquire Rose Of Kildare from the draft of Oghill House Stud.

Her success on Saturday seems set to ensure that her half-brother, by sire of the moment Kingman, will fetch a good deal more than she did when Oghill House offer the colt at the upcoming Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

Make Believe, the highest achieving progeny of Makfi having won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix de la Foret in 2015, has supplied nine winners across Europe with his debut two-year-olds.

His debut crop, who were conceived at a fee of €20,000, contains 88 foals, with other notable performers including the Sandown scorer and Listed-placed Tammani and the useful dual winner Makyon.

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