Ballybrit's boys of summer could be the stars of next season

Form students and pedigree buffs have learned by now that it is vital to take heed of the juveniles unleashed by Ireland's most powerful stables at the Galway festival.

The opening two evening meetings of the week-long extravaganza have been graced by future stars of the sport, taking their first steps on the road to glory.

In 2003 Dermot Weld unveiled an Irish Derby winner at Galway when Grey Swallow, who would go on to defeat Epsom hero North Light at the Curragh the following year, won the colts' juvenile maiden and, in more recent years, subsequent Group winners such as Weld's Jersey Stakes winner Mustajeeb and Innisfree, who ended the 2019 season with success in the Beresford Stakes, emerged victorious from the contest for Aidan O'Brien.

The field assembled for this year's renewal of the Claregalwayhotel.ie Irish EBF Maiden (6.10) could very well contain another Classic or Royal Ascot winner, if their pedigrees are anything to go by.

It is doubtful that Quality Road has sired many Galway runners before but on Monday he could have a Ballybrit winner to go with his champions if Cairo makes a successful debut for Ballydoyle and Coolmore. The colt is one of three homebred juvenile sons of Lane's End Farm's quadruple Grade 1 winner registered in training for the Coolmore partners.

Quality Road is the sire of 14 individual top-level winners, including this season's Saudi Cup victor Emblem Road and New York Stakes winner Bleecker Street.

Cairo holds entries in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes and the Group 1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes. He is the third foal out of Naas Listed Fillies' Sprint Stakes winner Cuff, a Galileo full-sister to Group 3 winner Wonderfully, Listed winner Blissful and the multiple Group 1-placed first-season sire Gustav Klimt.

Cuff is also a half-sister to Group 1 Gran Criterium winner Nayarra, their dam Massara being a Danehill full-sister to Kodiac and half-sister to Invincible Spirit and Group 3 winner Acts Of Grace, who is the second dam of multiple Group 1 winner Mishriff, out of the brilliant Rafha.

Johnny Murtagh is no stranger to Galway success and runs Malacanne, a son of Raven's Pass who cost €50,000 at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale when bought by Bobby O'Ryan from Oghill House Stud.

Malacanne is a half-brother to Alina, the dam of Barney Roy, whose four Group 1 successes included the St James's Palace Stakes. They are out of Group 3 Ridgewood Pearl and Brownstown Stakes winner Cheyenne Star, who is a Mujahid half-sister to the dam of globetrotting Group 1 winner Gordon Lord Byron.

The other newcomer of note is the Noel Meade-trained Pearl Of Australia, a €72,000 purchase from the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale.

He is out of Golden Pearl, an Oasis Dream full-sister to Listed Prix des Lilas winner Pearly Steph and a three-parts sister to Paddy Twomey's Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes winner and Group 1 Matron Stakes and Prix de la Foret-placed Pearls Galore.

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