Warm welcome awaits Royal Ascot winner's brother on debut at Tipperary

Bremen

Tipperary 6.10, Wednesday, Glenvale Stud Race

What is of interest?

The middle evening of Tipperary's July festival stages a Listed event for juveniles but it's the following two-year-old maiden where Donnacha O'Brien's newcomer is of most interest. Recent winners of the extended 7f contest include the Group 2 winner and Classic-placed Cayenne Pepper and Cape Of Good Hope, a Galileo full-brother to Highland Reel and Idaho, who went on to win the Group 1 Ladbrokes Stakes for Coolmore, Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes. 

It's another horse with an Australian connection who catches the eye in the field - Bremen is a Galileo full-brother to Warm Heart who was successful in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot a fortnight ago for Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore. They are out of Sea Siren who won three Group 1 contests in her native Australia over six and seven furlongs before migrating to the northern hemisphere, specifically Ballydoyle.

How has Sea Siren fared?

A daughter of Fastnet Rock, Sea Siren was an ideal choice for Galileo and all six of her offspring, including Warm Heart, are by the Coolmore colossus. So far she has foaled three winners from four runners with her first success the Group 3 and Listed-placed filly Celestial Object who was trained by Jessica Harrington for Newtown Anner Stud.

Warm Heart on her way to success in the Ribblesdale Stakes Credit: Mark Cranham

Sea Siren is also the dam of Arbutus who made a winning debut as a three-year-old at Navan last year but was fatally injured on his next start. Warm Heart has quickly climbed the ladder this season, going from her Leopardstown maiden win to success in the Listed Fillies' Trial at Newbury and then her Royal Ascot victory, one of three at the meeting for horses by Galileo and out of Fastnet Rock mares. She is currently disputing favouritism for the Irish Oaks with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Epsom runner-up Savethelastdance.

Bremen was the last foal Sea Siren produced in Ireland before she was shipped back to Australia last year having been covered by Camelot.

What about the other runners?

His rivals include another well-bred newcomer in the Jessica Harrington-trained Versatile who cost BBA Ireland and Yulong Investments €235,000 at last September's Goffs Orby Sale. Bred by Airlie Stud, Sonia Rogers and Flaxman Stables Ireland on the Siyouni-Galileo cross, Versatile is the first foal out Flora Danica, an unraced half-sister to Jim Bolger's Dewhurst winner Intense Focus and to Dane Street, the dam of Skitter Scatter who won the Moyglare Stud Stakes for the Rogers family and last year's Listed Denford Stakes winner Victory Dance. 

Carrying the first colours of Michael Tabor is Portland, who was third on debut at the Curragh last month for Aidan O'Brien. The Dubawi colt is out of Zagitova, who was third to Skitter Scatter in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes and fourth behind her in the Moyglare. She is a Galileo half-sister to Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Garswood.

Spanish Flame represents Ger Lyons and Colin Keane and the son of Phoenix Of Spain, from the family of Lope De Vega, has both the benefit of experience and victory in his favour, having won a Roscommon maiden last month.

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