Amo colt launches Space Blues' stallion career into orbit with first Group 1 success

A powerful performance from Power Blue repelled the challenge of Queen Mary winner True Love in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. 

In doing so, the Amo Racing colt became the first Group winner of any hue for Darley's Space Blues, the Breeders' Cup Mile, Prix Maurice de Gheest and Prix de la Foret-winning son of Dubawi.

Power Blue was his sire's first winner when making a successful debut in the first two-year-old race of the season at this track back in March and, trained by Adrian Murray for Kia Joorabchian's outfit, he is now the winner of the first European juvenile Group 1 of the year.

Bred by Finanza Locale Consulting out of the Worthadd mare Visions, so inbred to Dubawi, Power Blue overturned the form of last month's Group 2 Railway Stakes over course and distance in which he finished third to True Love and Puerto Rico who were second and fourth this time around.

Kia Joorabchian was ecstatic with the success, the second time in three runnings that he has been victorious in the Group 1 following on from Buccanero Fuerte's win in 2023.

"It is absolutely unbelievable; to come to the Curragh and to win a Group 3 and then a Group 1 back-to-back, I'm a bit lost for words right now," he said.

"I was giving Robbie [Robson de Aguiar] and Adrian a bit of a hard time the other day saying are you sure we should run him in the Group 1 but credit to my team - David [Egan], Ryan [McElligott], Amy [Drummond], Charlie [Sutton] - they were all saying let's run him and I was asking, 'Are you sure? Don't you think we should run him in an easier race?' They were right, I was wrong."

Kia Joorabchian (right) celebrates with Robson Aguiar (middle) while Ryan McElligott (left) looks onCredit: Patrick McCann

Watching a replay of the race on the big screen, Joorabchian was even more impressed with his colt's performance.

He commented: "You can tell he really pulled it out, I am watching the re-run now and you can see him trying. It's brilliant. We will enjoy today before thinking about where to go next."

A delighted Luke Barry of Manister House Stud was also watching on, having sold the colt to Aisling Noone and Simon Cavanagh's Drumloose Stables at last year's Goffs Premier Yearling Sale for £44,000.

Power Blue is the second Phoenix Stakes winner that Barry has sold at Doncaster - 14 years ago homebred La Collina triumphed in the race for the late Kevin Prendergast and went on to further Group 1 glory in the Matron Stakes.

Doncaster was the second trip through the sales ring for Power Blue, who was sold by Reddy and Linda Coffey's Oak Lodge and Springfield House Stud as a foal at Goffs for €30,000 to BLTB, a syndicate that includes trainers Harry Eustace and James Horton.

At Newmarket, Space Blues' full-sister Dance To The Music maintained her unbeaten record when winning the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin. The winner of both her starts, the bay held on by a neck to win from Princess Petrol and the most recent two winners of the contest - Fallen Angel and Lake Victoria - have used the race as a stepping-stone to Group 1 victories.

Earlier on the same card, Space Blues recorded his ninth individual winner when Harlequin Angel was successful in the nursery for Jane Chapple-Hyam and Harlequin Direct Limited.

Just 30 minutes prior to Power Blues' victory, Amo's 2023 Phoenix Stakes winner Bucanero Fuerte returned in triumph after the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes. The Wootton Bassett full-brother to Prix de l'Abbaye winner Wooded - sire of last month's Group 1 Prix Jean Prat hero Woodshauna - had returned to training with Murray after an abortive attempt at a stallion career.

Power Blue and Kia Joorabchian Credit: Patrick McCann

The Group 1 victor was retired to Tally-Ho Stud at the end of 2024 but an undisclosed issue saw him back on the track and the four-year-old, who has not been gelded, won the Listed Sole Power Sprint at Naas in May. 

He suffered a colic problem at Royal Ascot so Saturday's run was just his second since returning to training.

When pressed about future plans for Bucanero Fuerte and whether he could be given another chance at stud, Joorabchian said: "We are just thinking about racing for him this year, I have no thoughts about that [returning to stud]."

Necklace dazzles for St Mark's

€1,700,000 yearling Diamond Necklace sparkled on debut in The Grand Hotel Malahide Irish EBF Fillies' Juvenile Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, continuing a glittering 24 hours for her first-crop sire St Mark's Basilica who sired his first stakes winner at Tipperary on Friday night.

O'Brien highlighted how much earlier the progeny of his first Prix du Jockey Club hero are shining in comparison to their sire, who was fifth to Lucky Vega in the Phoenix Stakes before getting off the mark later in August.

"Her dad didn't win his maiden for another few weeks so that's St Mark's Basilica for you, and he went on to win the Dewhurst and then what he did at three was incredible," the trainer remarked.

Diamond Necklace wins the 7f fillies juvenile raceCredit: Patrick McCann

Diamond Necklace was bred by Ecurie des Monceaux and Skymarc Farm and bought by MV Magnier at Arqana's August Yearling Sale. A half-sister to Group 1 winners Chicquita and Magic Wand, the latter trained by O'Brien, she has impeccable breeding.

He added: "She's a lovely filly with a great pedigree and is coming along lovely. She's a Fillies' Mile filly but we might get another run into her in between. She is going to be a lovely filly at three, Magic Wand was fantastic and just kept getting better and better."

Ecurie des Monceaux offers her Night Of Thunder half-sister as Lot 206 at the 2025 version of the sale which begins on Saturday.

Diamond Necklace led home a 1-2-3 for O'Brien in the race with Minerva, a Frankel three-parts sister to Group 3 winner History in second and debutante Lookingforarainbow in third. The Justify filly is out of Damson, whose Phoenix Stakes triumph was 21 years ago.

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