Pricey Dark Vision half-brother Lope Y Fernandez looks one to follow

Coolmore look set to be well rewarded for digging deep to purchase a yearling with a hugely significant pedigree update at Deauville last summer, with the lot in question – subsequently named Lope Y Fernandez and placed with Aidan O'Brien – running out an impressive near four-length winner of a 7f maiden at the Curragh on Friday.

“He's a lovely horse and he could go to the Chesham Stakes,” said O'Brien after the race. “He travelled well and picked up well, you would have to be very happy with him.”

Lope Y Fernandez – who, as the name indicates, is by Ballylinch Stud flagship stallion Lope De Vega – was bred by SF Bloodstock out of the Listed-placed Dansili mare Black Dahlia.

View full result and watch race replay

He was presented at the Arqana August Yearling Sale by Ecurie des Monceaux just weeks after his half-brother Dark Vision, listed in the catalogue as merely “in training in GB”, had put up a thrilling display to win the Vintage Stakes, making him one of the most talked about horses in the auction.

MV Magnier was forced to €900,000 to secure Lope Y Fernandez, a remarkable turnaround in popularity for the colt's family as his dam, a tough winner of five of her 42 races over 7f to 1m2f, had been bought by SF Bloodstock for just 40,000gns at the end of her racing career and Dark Vision's trainer Mark Johnston had given just 15,000gns to secure the son of Dream Ahead as a yearling.

Another enticement to buy Lope Y Fernandez was the fact he is a brother to two other useful performers by Lope De Vega in Al Hayyah, Listed-placed over 1m-1m2f in France, and Another Eclipse, a smart handicapper who excels over 1m2f.

Moreover, their dam is out of South Rock, a Listed-winning daughter of Rock City who in turn is a granddaughter of Oaks fourth Shore Line, who produced the dual Lockinge Stakes victor Soviet Line.

Black Dahlia has another yearling colt by Lope De Vega based in France who, if Lope Y Fernandez fulfils his considerable promise, could be in line to be sold with more major catalogue updates to his page.

Lope De Vega, whose fee at Ballylinch Stud this year is €80,000, is enjoying a fine season in Europe, with Phoenix Of Spain a wide-margin winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, Zabeel Prince taking the Prix d'Ispahan and San Donato an eye-catching third in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.

It was also announced this week that Viddora, a dual Group 1-winning daughter of I Am Invincible in Australia, had been bought privately by Newgate Farm and SF Bloodstock for an undisclosed sum and would be heading to Europe to be covered by Lope De Vega to southern hemisphere time before returning home.

Lope De Vega, a dual French Classic-winning son of Shamardal. has sparked with Dansili mares before, to produce Grade 1 Natalma Stakes winner Capla Temptress and Listed scorer and Group 2-placed Mer Et Nuages.

There were more O'Brien-trained juveniles to go in the notebook at the Curragh on Friday evening as Year Of The Tiger, a Galileo colt who is the first foal out of speedball Tiggy Wiggy, steadily stayed on into second on debut in the 6f maiden behind the Sheila Lavery-trained Starspangledbanner filly Lil Grey, and Kipling, a Galileo brother to Irish Oaks winner Seventh Heaven, was a fair runner-up to Lope Y Fernandez.

If you enjoyed reading this, you might also like...

Hurricane Ivor blows good fortune McLoughneys' way after bargain dam purchase

Star Bloodstock's Matt Eves gives a vendor's perspective on the breeze-up season

Phoenix Thoroughbreds among big spenders at inaugural Santa Anita sale