Mother Earth and Royal Aclaim siblings among eyecatchers at the Curragh

It might not have the acclaim, well, it sort of does in a way, more of which shortly, of the Frankel/Nathaniel maiden at Newmarket the night before, but the opener at the Curragh on Saturday has plenty for the pedigree buff.

For example, the Willie McCreery-trained debutante Ocean Jewel is a half-sister to none other than Mother Earth, last year’s 1,000 Guineas heroine who later took the Prix Rothschild. She made a winning reappearance this year in a Curragh Group 3, and was last seen at Royal Ascot finishing sixth behind Saffron Beach in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.

Mother Earth is by Zoffany, while Ocean Jewel is a daughter of leading first-season sire Sioux Nation, the pair out of excellent producer Many Colours, who was a Listed winner herself on the track.

Ocean Jewel is her eighth foal and also a half-sister to Group 2 Premio Dormello winner Night Colours, by Night Of Thunder.

Bred by Grenane House Stud, she carries the silks of up-and-comers Al Shira’aa Racing, who forked out €230,000 to acquire her when offered through Whitehall Stud at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.

Pop Star will have the assistance of Ryan Moore in the six-furlong maiden for two-year-olds and is also a sibling to a notable name as the half-brother to Nunthorpe favourite Royal Aclaim.

That emerging star sprinter is by, yes, Aclaim, while her half-brother is another by Sioux Nation, who you begin to sense might soon start to make inroads into Havana Grey’s lead in the first-season sire standings.

Pop Star is the fifth foal out of Soviet Star’s daughter Knock Stars and was bred by Pier House Stud.

MV Magnier stepped in at 215,000gns to acquire him at last year’s Tattersalls October Book 2 Sale, the highest price for a yearling by the sire, and he makes his debut for the Coolmore partners and Westerberg for the Aidan O’Brien yard.

The trainer’s son Joseph also runs a Sioux Nation newcomer here, Behind Enemy Lines, while of those with experience in the 20-deep field, it is yet another by the Coolmore stallion, Sioux Spirit, who was fourth at Cork last month on her debut, who might set the standard.

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