Well-related Lope De Vega colt among standouts on opening day of Craven meeting

Newmarket's Craven meeting gets under way on Tuesday and the Mark Johnston-trained Love De Vega looks the sort who could catch an eye or two in the five-furlong juvenile contest (1.35).

By Ballylinch Stud's mighty sire - responsible for 42 individual Group winners, including 12 at the highest level - the two-year-old is out of the Motivator mare Ribble, a relation to four black-type performers including Lope De Vega's Group 1-winning sprinter son The Right Man.

The Right Man, who also landed two Group 3s and a Listed event for good measure, won ten of his 28 races overall. The pair are out of the winning Warning mare Three Owls, a half-sister to two stakes winners.

Bred by Tinnakill Bloodstock and the Lope De Vega Syndicate, Love De Vega was a €100,000 purchase as a foal from Tinnakill House and was later snapped up by Johnston from Tattersalls Book 2 for 92,000gns when consigned by Pier House Stud.

First-season sires are strongly represented in the race, including via progeny by Ardad (Fourshadesofsilver) - who got off the mark with Blue Collar Lad at Bath last week - Cotai Glory (Costa Adeje and Forca Brasil) and Galileo Gold (Ebro River).

Ebro River will sport the Al Shaqab Racing silks that his sire wore to 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace success for Hugo Palmer, and the 75,000gns purchase will be attempting to get off the mark for the Tally-Ho Stud resident.

Galileo Gold: represented by two runners, including Ebro RiverCredit: Charlie Crowhurst

The Richard Hannon-trained Magic Warrior, a son of Kodiac, was a 145,000gns purchase from Tattersalls Book 2 last year when consigned by Glenvale Stud. Bred by Castlefarm Stud, the colt is a half-brother to two winners.

The British EBF Conditions Stakes (2.10), held just over half an hour later, sees the return of Noble Dynasty, a Dubawi half-brother to four-time Group 1 winner Barney Roy and the most expensive yearling sold in Europe in 2019 when realising 3,600,000gns to Godolphin at Tattersalls Book 1.

Bred by Sun Kingdom and sold by Hazelwood Bloodstock, the three-year-old got off the mark at the second attempt last season. Among his four rivals is the Ballydoyle-trained Duke Of Mantua, a No Nay Never half-brother to smart US performer Turning Top.

The Charlie Hills-trained Mutasaabeq, by Invincible Spirit and out of 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes heroine Ghanaati, is another to catch the eye. Closely related to Royal Hunt Cup winner Afaak, the colt impressed when winning at the track in October.

Credit: Goffs UK

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