Starman sparkling as Lady Iman lands Listed honours at the Curragh

Lady Iman became the first stakes winner for Tally-Ho Stud's freshman sire Starman when landing Monday's Listed First Flier Stakes at the Curragh.

The contest has been won by the likes of subsequent Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes winner Blackbeard and the filly came home a length and a quarter ahead of True Love, Coolmore's No Nay Never sister to last year's Airlie Stud Stakes winner Truly Enchanting. In third was Power Blue, who was the first winner for Darley's Breeders' Cup Mile, Prix Maurice de Gheest and Prix de la Foret winner Space Blues, when he broke his maiden over the same course and distance in March. 

The first runner and winner for her July Cup-winning sire, Lady Iman sports the colours of Tony O'Callaghan and was making it two wins from as many starts. She started her racing career at Dundalk in March and duly obliged by three and a half lengths when sent off the 4-6 favourite.

Trainer Ger Lyons said: "I thought long and hard about starting her in Dundalk because I liked her, no disrespect to Dundalk. They gave me the horse to promote the sire, they didn’t give her to me because they like me, so I ran her. 

"Tony O’Callaghan said to me today that the minute she won the bookings went out the door so she’s doing the job and that means we’re doing our job."

Lady Iman is the third foal out of Lady Aria, a winner for Michael Bell who was also Group-placed when second in the Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes. By Tally-Ho's fine stalwart Kodiac, she is a half-sister to the Windsor Castle Stakes-placed Union Rose, by Stimulation. 

Starman: sire of the exciting Lady ImanCredit: Tally-Ho Stud

Lady Aria is now the dam of two black-type winners and three winners from as many runners and they are headed by dual Meydan Group-winning sprinter West Acre. The progressive gelding, whose highest profile win came in the Group 2 Blue Point Sprint, is by another of Tally-Ho's super sires in Mehmas.

The nine-year-old Lady Aria, who sold to Tally-Ho for 160,000gns from Amo Racing at the 2019 Tattersalls December Mare Sale, has a yearling colt by Persian Force. 

Starman is the sire of two winners to date, the other being the equally impressive Green Sense, who strode to a three-length-winning debut at the Curragh last month. He stands for a fee of €10,000, having been introduced at €17,500 on debut in 2022 when he covered 254 mares. 

The following race, the Coolmore Stud Henry Longfellow Irish EBF Tetrarch Stakes, was appropriately won by a regally bred Coolmore homebred son of Dubawi in Officer. The three-year-old, who was was a debut winner at the track last August, built on his Gladness Stakes third in March with a straightforward victory over a furlong further at a mile.

Like the aforementioned Henry Longfellow - now in his first covering season at Coolmore - Officer is out of a top-class Galileo mare, this one being Hydrangea. 

The British Champions Fillies & Mares and Matron Stakes winner is also the dam of Wingspan, a Dubawi sister to Officer who was a Listed winner and placed second to Kalpana in last year's Fillies & Mares Stakes. 

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