Exciting two-year-old winner for breakthrough sire Cityscape

Overbury Stud resident Cityscape was one of the less heralded sophomore stallions of 2018, overshadowed by big names like Camelot and Dawn Approach, but he has a filly entered in the Investec Oaks on Friday in Give And Take and she is one of three stakes winners for the sire alongside Dan's Dream and The Broghie Man.

Now his small second crop of two-year-olds has yielded a potentially smart horse in Urban Icon, a Richard Hannon-trained colt who ran out a wide-margin winner of a 6f novice auction stakes at Windsor on his debut on Monday.

It might not have been the best juvenile race of the season, but Urban Icon was impressive in taking up the running two furlongs from home and sauntering to a three-and-a-half-length victory under Tom Marquand.

See the full result and watch the race replay

Urban Icon carries the silks of Michael Pescod after being bought by Peter and Ross Doyle for £23,000 at the inaugural Tattersalls Ireland Ascot Yearling Sale last September.

He was bred by Willie Carson's Minster Stud and is the second foal out of the Shamardal mare Fauran, who has also produced the 5f maiden winner Flying Foxy.

The dam is a half-sister to the useful staying handicapper and Grade 2-placed hurdler Rainbow Dreamer and is out of a winning half-sister to stakes winners Blue Monday and Rugged Cross, as well as to the granddam of dual French Classic heroine Avenir Certain.

She is descended from Saeed Manana's blue hen mare Lucayan Princess, dam of champions Luso and Warrsan and further Group winners Cloud Castle and Needle Gun.

Cityscape, the impressive winner of the Dubai Duty Free for Roger Charlton and James Doyle in 2012, has flown a little under the radar since being retired to Overbury Stud.

But his debut crop of three-year-olds, bred off a fee of just £5,000 and comprising 61 individuals, has yielded Group 3 winners Dan's Dream and Give And Take, as well as Listed scorer The Broghie Man and Listed-placed Ballymount and Freescape.

The son of Selkirk has only 32 two-year-olds, of which Urban Icon is the first winner.

Cityscape has now reportedly been the recipient of a late surge in interest at Overbury in the final weeks of the traditional Flat breeding season.

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Surprise package Cityscape enjoys a late-season surge in popularity