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First foal out of top-class Happily set for Naas debut on Saturday

Ballsbridge is a son of leading Japanese sire Lord Kanaloa

Happily: the dual Group 1 winner is one of three Aidan O'Brien runners for the Bet365 Fillies' Mile
Happily: dual Group 1 winner is represented by her first foalCredit: Patrick McCann

Aidan O'Brien is set to unleash the first foal out of the blue-blooded dual Group 1 winner Happily in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Naas on Saturday.

Ballsbridge is a son of leading Japanese stallion Lord Kanaloa, the sire of seven top-flight winners including the great Almond Eye - the winner of the Dubai Turf, two Japan Cups and the Japanese Oaks and Guineas - Japanese 2,000 Guineas hero Saturnalia and Blue Diamond Stakes victor Tagaloa.

Happily is from one of the finest families in the world, being out of the great You'resothrilling, a Group-winning Storm Cat sister to the outstanding Giant's Causeway - therefore making her a sister to Group 1 sire, dual Guineas hero and champion juvenile Gleneagles, Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Marvellous and last term's Prix de Diane winner Joan Of Arc.

The daughter of Galileo is also a sister to Group winners and top-level placed performers Taj Mahal and Coolmore as well as the Irish 2,000 Guineas second Vatican City.

Happily produced a colt by Ashford Stud sire and US Triple Crown hero American Pharoah this term.

Ballsbridge faces 13 rivals in the seven-furlong contest including stablemate Auguste Rodin, a son of Deep Impact and multiple top-level winner Rhododendron, who was an unlucky second on debut when hampered; Dubawi Spectre; a Newsells Park Stud-bred son of Dubawi and Prix du Moulin second Spectre; and Young Ireland; Jim Bolger's son of New Approach out of a half-sister to Irish Derby victor Soldier Of Fortune.

The opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden (1.25) sees Queen Of Ours debut for Willie McCreery. The daughter of Kodiac is out of a maiden half-sister to Group 2 winner Always Hopeful and is herself closely related to Italian Oaks second Must Be Late.

Another eyecatching newcomer is She's Local, a Shadwell-bred daughter of first-season sire Tasleet and a half-sister to Queen Mary Stakes winner and Qipco Irish 1,000 Guineas third Maqaasid.


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Bloodstock journalist

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