'There's a lot of goodwill behind it' - Fleur De Chine shines in first Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic

Study Of Man's first crop continue to impress and Fleur De Chine, Kirsten Rausing's homebred daughter of the Prix du Jockey Club winner, earned entry to the Irish Derby with victory in the inaugural Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic on Monday.

Trained by Jessica Harrington, the half-sister to last season's Group 3 Prix de Psyche third Empress Wu was successful in the nine-and-a half-furlong contest, which was worth €200,000 and the culmination of a series launched this year by the Irish EBF to promote the breeding and purchasing of middle-distance performers.

Joe Foley, chairman of the Irish EBF, was on hand at Gowran Park to explain the genesis of the scheme.

"A few years ago we started the Irish EBF median series and auction series, there are 25 two-year-old races in each of those, and we think they've been hugely successful for Irish racing," he said.

"You can point to the fact that the number of two-year-olds in training in Ireland has risen since the start of those two schemes, so we're happy that they're doing what we had set out to do with them."

Building from the successful foundations of those juvenile races, the Irish EBF identified the potential of a race series to encourage the breeding and purchasing of horses who will develop into middle-distance and staying types as the market focus, particularly at yearling sales in Ireland, is skewed heavily towards the more precocious and sprinter types, whereas other countries, notably Japan, have built their racing on middle-distance breeding.

Fleur De Chine (left): winner of the first Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran ClassicCredit: Patrick McCann

To that end the Spring Series was launched, comprising four maidens restricted to horses whose sires achieved a median price of no higher than €50,000 in 2022. 

The fifth race, run at Roscommon in mid-May, had the ceiling lifted to €75,000 and the same limit applied for Monday's Gowran Classic, which attracted an initial declaration of 17, with 13 ultimately going to post.

The race was supported by Ireland's leading trainers; along with Harrington, Aidan O'Brien, Gavin Cromwell, Joseph O'Brien, Willie McCreery, Friday's Oaks-winning trainer Dermot Weld, Ger Lyons and Noel Meade were among those with runners, and Foley was encouraged by the reception afforded to both the series and the final.

He said: "The races in the series have been worth €25,000 and this race is worth €200,000, with prize-money down to tenth. We're happy with the support we've had, the winners we've had, and the backing for today's race – there's a lot of goodwill behind it."

There is no expectation of a radical and immediate overhaul of attitudes towards breeding later-maturing horses, but there is an understanding that by providing horses with the opportunity to compete for and earn good prize-money, an evolutionary process can be initiated.

Foley said: "It will take time to change breeders' and buyers' motives and one series isn't enough on its own. However, by spotlighting the area, if you breed a nice yearling that looks like it will make a decent ten-furlong three-year-old, those horses have a lot of resale value, but they should also have a lot of value to win prize-money. Because it takes longer to get them to the stage where they can do that, it's important to incentivise people with prize-money."

Free entry to the Irish Derby is offered to the winner and, with this year being the 30th anniversary of Balanchine's triumph in the Curragh Classic under Frankie Dettori, it would be the ideal opportunity for a filly to try to emulate her and Salsabil. 

Whether Fleur De Chine will be given that opportunity remains to be seen.

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