Golden day for No Nay Never at Navan with brothers to top-class juveniles shining

No Nay Never had a huge say in Saturday's story at Navan with two sons - full-brothers to Group 1-winning juveniles - impressing in victory while the Prix Morny and Norfolk Stakes winner added a second Group winner as a broodmare sire to his list of accomplishments.

Whistlejacket emulated his sire by winning the Deauville Group 1 last year and the chestnut is the younger brother of Little Big Bear, who was European champion two-year-old of 2022. Trained by Aidan O'Brien for Peter Brant and the Coolmore partners, Whistlejacket made his seasonal reappearance in the Listed Committed Stakes and defied a Group 1 penalty to snatch victory from another Ballydoyle colt, Ides Of March, in the shadow of the post.

Successful in the Group 2 July Stakes and Listed First Flier Stakes last year, Whistlejacket was also runner-up to Shadow Of Light in the Middle Park and Babouche in the Phoenix Stakes, the race in which Little Big Bear made the Group 1 breakthrough two years previously.

Although Whistlejacket holds an entry in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, Aidan O'Brien has previously suggested that six furlongs is the colt's ideal trip and the Commonwealth Cup, a race in which Little Big Bear was second to Shaquille, would appear to be his first big target this year.

Little Big Bear, who stands at Coolmore for a fee of €20,000 this year, was one of two top-class juvenile colts for No Nay Never in 2022 with the other being Blackbeard. He followed in his sire's hoofprints by winning the Prix Morny and the Ballydoyle juvenile added a second top-level success in the Middle Park Stakes.

Whistlejacket and Ryan Moore win the Committed Stakes Credit: Patrick McCann

Blackbeard was retired to stud after just one season racing and is in his third year at Coolmore where he stands for €17,500. Successful in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin, Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes and First Flier Stakes he is the older brother of Charles Darwin, who won the six-furlong juvenile maiden at Navan.

The two-year-old colt was having his second start and showed the benefit of experience when running out a five-and-a-half-length winner in the hands of Ryan Moore.

Carrying the navy blue silks of Sue Magnier, he is the fourth winner in a row of this race for O'Brien and Coolmore with Camille Pissarro, his immediate predecessor, going on to win the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. River Tiber, who won the race two years ago, was successful in the Coventry Stakes.

No Nay Never is also the broodmare sire of Wemightakedlong way, winner of the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes for Joseph O'Brien and ES Racing. The three-year-old is a daughter of Australia and was bred by Anne Marie O'Brien.

Wemightakedlong takes Group 3 honours in the Salsabil StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

She is the first foal out of Don't Ask Me At All who was unraced and is a sister to Emphatic Answer, second in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes and Listed Garnet Stakes for Joseph O'Brien.

They are also three-parts sisters to the multiple Group/Graded-placed Kalispera, who is by No Nay Never's July Cup and Middle Park-winning son Ten Sovereigns. Another close relation is Caravaggio filly La Dolce Vita, who was third in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes for Donnacha O'Brien.

Second dam Ask Me Nicely is a Fastnet Rock half-sister to Dewhurst winner Beethoven and it is the brilliant family of Group/Grade 1 winners Dolphin Street, Saffron Walden, Sequoyah, Henrythenavigator and Listen among others.

Last year Ezeliya was successful in the Navan contest before landing the Oaks and Wemightakedlongway has entries in that race - for which she is a best-priced 25-1 - as well as the Pretty Polly Stakes and Irish Oaks.

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