American Pharoah's first runner Monarch Of Egypt obliges on debut

Monarch Of Egypt - the first runner for US Triple Crown hero and freshman sire American Pharoah - made a winning debut in the 5f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race at Naas on Saturday, promptly dispelling any doubts that the sire's progeny would not act on turf.

Monarch Of Egypt is trained by Aidan O'Brien for Peter Brant's White Birch Farm and the Coolmore partners, for whom he was a $750,000 Keeneland yearling purchase, and he made most of the running under Ryan Moore before drawing clear impressively to win by almost three lengths.

Monarch Of Egypt was bred by Ran Jan Racing, who enjoyed extraordinary success as a breeder in Europe last year with Cartier Horse of the Year Roaring Lion.

American Pharoah, a son of the late Pioneerof The Nile, may have done most of his racing on dirt, but the female side of his pedigree is packed full of talented turf runners.

He is the third foal out of Up, a daughter of Galileo and the Spectrum mare Halland Park Lass who was added to the Ran Jan Racing broodmare band when bought with Jan Vandebos for $2.2 million at Keeneland in January 2015.

The dam won the Group 2 Blandford Stakes at three, having also finished runner-up to Beauty Parlour in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

That evidence all hints towards Monarch Of Egypt progressing with age, although it is not difficult to see where he gets his precocity from.

American Pharoah was a Grade 1-winning juvenile having taken out the FrontRunner Stakes on the Polytrack at Del Mar, while Up is a half-sister to the Prix Morny victor Dutch Art.

Betfair introduced Monarch Of Egypt at 14-1 for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

O'Brien said after the race: "That was lovely. He's a straightforward and honest horse who has been showing us plenty on the gallops at home. Ryan [Moore] said he would have no problem getting six or seven furlongs.

"This was his first time away so you'd imagine there will be plenty of improvement. He's still babyish and he was green when he got there. He's uncomplicated. He has a lovely mind. He would have to run again before Ascot."

Monarch Of Egypt holds an early entry in next year's Investec Derby, run over the same trip as the Belmont Stakes which American Pharoah won to become the first horse in 37 years to complete the US Triple Crown in 2015.

FIVE OTHER AMERICAN PHAROAH TWO-YEAR-OLDS IN EUROPE TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Good Fortune
b c ex Dancing Trieste (Old Trieste)
In training with John Gosden

The half-brother to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Giovanni Boldini is owned by Qatar Racing, with the operation's manager David Redvers having paid $800,000 for him at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale last year.

Hong Kong
gr/r c ex Mekko Hokte (Holy Bull)
In training with Aidan O'Brien

Coolmore's MV Magnier went to $1 million at last year's Keeneland January Sale to secure this half-brother to star sprinter and popular young sire Caravaggio.

Ridwaan
b c ex Ridasiyna (Motivator)
In training with Mikel Delzangles

The French trainer has taken charge of this colt for owner-breeder the Aga Khan, having sent out the dam to win the Prix de l'Opera.

South Saqqara
ch c ex Global Finance (End Sweep)
In training with Aidan O'Brien

The half-brother to Scat Daddy's blisteringly fast two-year-old Acapulco was added to the Coolmore battalions at a cost of $300,000 as a yearling.

Tiger Touch
b c ex Osaila (Danehill Dancer)
In training with Nicolas Clement

Al Shaqab Racing's homebred colt is out of Osaila, a Group 3 winner at two and three who also finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

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