Roaring Lion half-brother to Eldar Eldarov to debut at the Curragh on Saturday

A Roaring Lion half-brother to this season's Queen's Vase winner and St Leger hope Eldar Eldarov is set to make his debut at the Curragh in the opening Manguard Plus Irish EBF Maiden (1.20), a race that has often proven informative in the past.

Held over a mile, the race for colts and geldings has a roll of honour that includes Beresford Stakes winner Ol' Man River (2014), Group 3 winner and Racing Post Trophy second Yucatan (2016), 2,000 Guineas hero and exciting first-season sire Saxon Warrior (2017), as well as Criterium de Saint-Cloud second Sydney Opera House (2018), Grand Prix de Paris and Hong Kong Vase victor Mogul (2019) and even a Cheltenham Festival winner in Brazil (2020).

All of those were trained by Aidan O'Brien, whose pair in this year's race are Cairo, a son of Quality Road who was second on his debut and is out of a Listed-winning full-sister to Group 2 winner and first-season sire Gustav Klimt, and Gulf Of Mexico.

Bred by Mountarmstrong Stud and a 1,100,000gns buy by MV Magnier from Tattersalls Book 1, Gulf Of Mexico is by Galileo and out of Queen Mary Stakes winner Anthem Alexander, a daughter of Starspangledbanner who also won the Lacken Stakes and was second to Tiggy Wiggy in the Cheveley Park Stakes.

Anthem Alexander is notably a half-sister to six winners, including Group winner and Group 1-winning sire Dandy Man, a son of Mozart who has been a fine flagbearer for Ballyhane Stud. His half-sister has been a great asset at stud too, producing three winners including the Listed-placed Dark Angel colt Anthem National.

Gulf Of Mexico after selling to MV Magnier for 1,100,000gns from Book 1Credit: Laura Green

Dandy Man and Anthem Alexander are in turn out of Lady Alexander, a daughter of Night Shift whose three successes included the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood.

Another well-related newcomer in the race is Kingswood, the son of the missed Roaring Lion who was bred by Kirsten Rausing and sold to Glyn Davies from the breeder's Staffordstown Stud for €130,000 at Goffs Orby.

He is out of the Listed-winning Sea The Stars mare All At Sea, from a brilliant Lanwades family as she is a half-sister to stakes winners Alwilda, the dam of five-time Group 1 heroine and recent Yorkshire Oaks winner Alpinista, Alignak and Algometer.

They are all in turn out of triple German Group 1 winner Albanova, an Alzao half-sister to dual Champion Stakes victress Alborada.

Kingswood is therefore a half-brother to this season's Queen's Vase winner and St Leger hopeful Eldar Eldarov, the winner of three of his four starts, as well as the Listed-placed winner A La Voile.

Another notable in the field is Pearl Of Australia, a once-raced son of Australia out of a winning Oasis Dream full-sister to Listed scorer Pearly Steph - the dam of this season's Prix Minerve winner Eternal Pearl - as well as a half-sister to this year's Lanwades Stud Stakes winner Pearls Galore. It is the family of the influential Prix Vermeille winner Pearly Shells.

Another son of Roaring Lion represents Qatar Racing in the shape of Warrior Lion, the Joseph O'Brien-trained colt who was a respectable second on his debut to the exciting Denmark. He is a half-brother to three winners and is out of the Group-placed Mount Nelson mare Stroll Patrol.

Raven's Pass gelding Malacanne has run twice and shaped more encouragingly on his most recent effort. He has the pedigree to be better than what he has shown as he is a sibling to two winners as well as to the dam of St James's Palace Stakes winner Barney Roy.

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