Rural town of Athboy in Meath toasts success on the Downs

Well, if it was the turn of the village of Bansha in County Tipperary to enjoy a disproportionate amount of success at Royal Ascot - with an interest in Different League, Rajasinghe and Ribchester - it was the turn of the small, rural town of Athboy in County Meath to experience something similar at Glorious Goodwood.

Barraquero, bred by Helen Smith and Sally Mullen, kicked things off by staying on strongly to win the 6f Group 2 Richmond Stakes in the Sangster colours on Thursday, and then, just over half an hour later, Blond Me finished a game second to Winter in the Nassau Stakes.

The latter was bred by Wardstown Stud, "about half a mile, as the crow flies" from Matty and Helen Smith's Cloneymore Farm in Athboy.

"It's fairly mind boggling at the minute," says Matty Smith, taking up the story. "It's the best winner that we've bred now.

"Our biggest winner prior to that was a mare called Miss Sally, who won a couple of Group 3s and Listed races."

Both of Miss Sally's Listed wins came over 6f, and Smith explains: "We aim to breed a bit of speed into our runners if we can."

A view from afar

Dividing his time between farrier work at Tally-Ho Stud in neighbouring County Westmeath and preparing youngstock, Smith could not find the time to attend Goodwood, but no doubt savoured the moment.

"Helen bred him in partnership with a friend of ours, Sally Mullen, and it's been brilliant," he says.

Barraquero is the third Group 2 winner by Tally-Ho Stud resident Zebedee, who also supplied to the 2014 Richmond winner Ivawood - while Zebedee's own sire, Invincible Spirit, was responsible for the 2015 Richmond scorer Shalaa.

Barraquero is out of Chica Whopa, a mare by another son of Green Desert in Oasis Dream, meaning Barraquero is inbred 3x3 to Green Desert, an influential source of speed.

Smith recalls: "I thought about it at the time, and thought it mightn't be a bad idea. Obviously it's ended up being a good choice!"

Chica Whopa is a half-sister to the Listed winner Jezebel, and the latter will see her Swiss Spirit yearling colt offered from Grove Stud at the upcoming Goffs UK Premier Sale.

They in turn are out of the Listed winner Just Ice, a half-sister to the Listed winner and Group 2-placed Always On A Sunday.

Barraquero was sold by Cloneymore to Jeremy Mactaggart, a director of Goffs UK, for €40,000 as a foal. Mactaggart resold him for £30,000 at the Premier Sale the following year.

Oasis Dream machine

Chica Whopa, a maiden winner for Richard Hannon snr, joined the Cloneymore broodmare band - which numbers eight - when Smith parted with 26,000gns to secure her from the 2010 Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

"I thought she was a good walker," says Smith. "She had good conformation, and Oasis Dream was another factor in it – the speed he offers."

Chica Whopa was bred to Zebedee the same year his first crop raced. The following year, his stud fee doubled from €5,000 to €10,000, in no small part thanks to Ivawood's Richmond triumph.

Of her three previous foals, all daughters, Quint earned the highest Racing Post Rating of 67 for finishing second in a Southwell maiden, but failed to reach the frame on three subsequent starts in the US.

Bright future

Chica Whopa was barren to Sir Prancealot last year but has a Hallowed Crown colt foal at foot, who could be offered at next year's yearling sales. The ten-year-old mare has been rested this year, with a view to putting her back in foal early next year.

Meanwhile, Smith is quick to point to the success of Blond Me, bred by their neighbours Mark and Elaine Clarke of Wardstown Stud.

Incidentally, Blond Me was the second Tamayuz runner of the week to place in Group 1 company, following Desert Skyline's third to Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday.

Should either go on to land a Group 1 they would be following in the hoofprints of Precieuse, who landed the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in May.

"We've followed Barraquero's progress from day one," adds Smith. "He was impressive and won very well at Chepstow. We never dreamed he'd be this good. Expert Eye's win gave a good boost for the form."

Both Expert Eye and Barraquero began their racing careers in a 6½f Newbury novice stakes in June.

The form of that juvenile contest now looks ironclad, with Expert Eye a most impressive winner of the 7f Group 2 Vintage Stakes on Tuesday and fourth-placed Petrus opening his account at Sandown last month.

Asked whether he thinks Barraquero can mix it at the highest level, Smith replies: "Well hopefully, his trainer seems to think so anyway. He was quite bullish after the race."

In his post-race interview, trainer Brian Meehan identified the 6f Prix Morny at Deauville in two and a half weeks as the colt's next target.

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