Land Force steps up and swoops clear to win on second start

Land Force showed he had progressed from his debut third last month when running out the easy winner of the 6f maiden at the Curragh on Saturday.

The victory also provided his sire, No Nay Never, with a first winner in Europe, having already got off the mark at stud when his daughter Mae Never No struck at Belmont earlier this month.

Bred by Evie Stockwell, known for producing such talents as Hit It A Bomb and Brave Anna, Land Force is a half-brother to another of Stockwell's elite performers in dual Grade 1 heroine Photo Call.

Land Force is out of the Group 3-winning Rock Of Gibraltar mare Theann, who is out of the Group 2-winning sprinter Cassandra Go and a half-sister to three-time Group 1 heroine Halfway To Heaven.

This is a family that has made its mark in the top echelons in the past couple of years as Halfway To Heaven is the dam of dual Group 1 winner Rhododendron, while stakes winners Magical, Flying The Flag and Tickled Pink also appear prominently on the page.

Offered by Oaks Farm Stables at last year's Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, Land Force was bought by MV Magnier and Mayfair Speculators for €350,000.

No Nay Never, winner of the Norfolk Stakes and the Prix Morny during his racing career, is by the much-missed Scat Daddy, whose son Justify gave a reminder of his sire's talents when running away with the Kentucky Derby last week.

With No Nay Never's progeny producing strong results at last year's autumn yearling sales, including a half-brother to The Wow Signal bought at Book 1 by JS Company for 850,000gns, his fee was upped to €25,000 for this year's breeding season.

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