First Group winner for Caravaggio as Agartha springs surprise in Silver Flash

Agartha shed her maiden tag in stylish fashion when providing first-season sire Caravaggio with a first individual Group winner in the Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown.

Placed on all four starts previously - including when second to the exciting Homeless Songs at Leopardstown - Joseph O'Brien's filly led from the off and came home by two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Juncture.

The Whisperview Trading-bred Agartha is the second black type winner for the Ashford Stud sire following on from Dizzy Bizu's Listed score at Chantilly last month. The son of Scat Daddy has also sired the Group 3-placed Andreas Vesalius and the stakes-placed Orazio.

Owned by Anne-Marie O'Brien, Agartha is the first foal out of the Listed-winning Dylan Thomas mare Arya Tara, herself out of a winning half-sister to the high-class Prix Ganay victor Astarabad.

Caravaggio has sired ten individual winners to date and could yet be represented with more black type success in the immediate future with The Entertainer holding an entry in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood next week.

The promising sire was bred by Windmill Manor Farms and went unbeaten in four starts at two for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, including when landing the Phoenix and Coventry Stakes by wide margins.

He went on to land the Commonwealth Cup and Flying Five at three, beating the likes of Blue Point and Harry Angel in the former, to make it seven wins from ten starts and over £720,000 in prize-money earnings.

Caravaggio retired to stand at Coolmore's Irish base for three seasons before switching to Ashford in Kentucky last year, where he stands for a fee of $25,000.

The O'Briens were at the Group-race double when Australia colt and Chesham Stakes winner Point Lonsdale maintained his unbeaten record in the Tyros Stakes for the Ballydoyle trainer.

Bred by Epona Bloodstock, the full-brother to recent Grand Prix de Saint Cloud victor Broome made 575,000gns to MV Magnier at Tattersalls Book 1.

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