Limerick winner sees Coolmore's first-season sire The Gurkha get off the mark

Coolmore resident The Gurkha opened his stud account on Friday when the Aidan O'Brien-trained Finest broke her maiden at the fourth attempt in the Well Done To All Frontline Staff From Limerick Racecourse Fillies Maiden over 6½f.

The filly, who was bred by Lynch Bages, made most of the running before clinging on by a nose from the fast-finishing Amber Kite, a daughter of fellow first-season sire New Bay, with Winter Oasis, by Oasis Dream and out of the Group 3-winning Lady Springbank, two lengths away in third.

Winning jockey Wayne Lordan said of the performance: "She's done that well from an outside draw. I got it a little bit easy in front and the line came in time. She tried and battled well."

Finest joined the Coolmore partners' string when purchased through Horse France for €250,000 at last year's Arqana August Yearling Sale. She is the 13th foal out of Pearl Grey, a Listed-winning daughter of Gone West.

Pearl Grey has now bred six winners, including the useful Gleneagles colt Royal County Down, and also has a yearling full-brother to Finest on the ground. The dam raced in the royal blue of Godolphin, but left Sheikh Mohammed's operation when signed for by BBA Ireland at €34,000 at Goffs in 2015.

The Gurka: has 117 two-year-olds on the groundCredit: Coolmore

Finest is one of 117 two-year-olds in the debut crop of The Gurkha, which was conceived at a fee of €25,000. His debut book of mares comprised 28 per cent stakes performers, including E.P Taylor Stakes scorer Fraulein (produced a colt named The Bay Warrior), Anglo-Irish Oaks heroine Ramruma (colt named King Of Life) and Matron Stakes winner Sense of Style (unnamed colt).

Other notable progeny include Gurkha Girl, a half-sister to 2,000 Guineas runner-up Tip Two Win, a half-sister to Prix Marcel Boussac victress Albigna named Nao Victoria, a half-brother to Grosser Preis von Bayern victress Temida named Boxing Hero and Evenwood Sonofagun, a half-brother to Matriarch Stakes winner Off Limits.

Finest is fifth-most expensive progeny of the son of Galileo, behind the likes of the colt out of Larceny, who fetched €525,000 from MV Magnier, and the colt out of Red Blossom, who went the way of the China Horse Club for €300,000.

The Gurkha ran just six times for O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, but rapidly made up into a high-class miler, winning the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the Sussex Stakes, while he also finished runner-up in the St James's Palace Stakes at the Coral-Eclipse. He stood the 2020 breeding season at a fee of €12,500.

Mehmas currently leads the way among this year's European first-season sires with nine winners on the board, with Goken a close second with eight and Adaay in third with seven successful sons and daughters.

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