Free Eagle sires his first winner in Leopardstown maiden

Free Eagle became the latest freshman sire to field his first winner on Thursday when the Ger Lyons-trained Justifier ran out a comfortable winner of the opening maiden at Leopardstown under Colin Keane, with colts by Dansili and Galileo filling the placings.

Justifier was bred by Tally-Ho Stud out of Pale Orchid, a winning Invincible Spirit half-sister to the St Leger scorer Kew Gardens, and was a €60,000 yearling purchase for Gaelic Bloodstock at last year's Goffs Orby Sale.

Moyglare homebred Free Eagle was himself a smart juvenile, winning a Leopardstown maiden on debut in August of his two-year-old season, and was unlucky to bump into Australia when second to him in the Group 3 Golden Fleece Stakes on his only other start at two.

Free Eagle recorded one of his most impressive wins of his career at three when powering seven lengths clear in the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes at the inaugural Irish Champions Weekend in 2014, and returned to win the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on his seasonal reappearance at four.

Following on from the royal meeting, he finished third to Golden Horn in the Irish Champion Stakes, sealing a place at the Irish National Stud.

The eight-year-old son of High Chaparral has 87 two-year-olds to bat for him this season and was a €12,500 option for breeders this year.

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