In a thrilling 240th edition of the classic, Anthony Van Dyck under Seamie Heffernan stormed home to win giving trainer Aidan O’Brien his seventh success in the race.
The win was a triumph for the Australian breeding industry. The Galileo colt is from the group winning Exceed and Excel mare Believe’n’succeed, a group winner as a two-year-old for trainer Mark Kavanagh.
Bred by Darley, Believe’n’succeed was purchased by Kavanagh for $300,000 at the 2007 Gold Coast Yearling Sale before a short but successful racetrack career and then retiring to stud.
She was next offered at auction by South Australian breeder Michael Birchall at the 2014 Patinack Farm Complete Dispersal Sale at the Gold Coast where she was purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $1.1 million in foal to Street Cry.
Believe’n’succeed was slated for sale through the Attunga Stud draft a few months earlier at the National Broodmare Sale but was a late withdrawal through illness. She then was offered when Patinack Farm was dispersed later in the year and Attunga presented her there to prospective buyers.
As well as being the dam of Anthony Van Dyck, Believe’n’succeed has produced the outstanding New Zealand Group One winner Bounding who was sold as a breeding prospect for $1.9 million to John Moynihan on behalf of US breeder Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Farm at the 2016 National Broodmare Sale. She is now in Kentucky and is being bred to the best on offer in the US.
The Classic win at Epsom is another breed shaping success for Coolmore who in the past week have again invested heavily in the cream of the Australian breeding industry at the National Broodmare Sale.
“Seamie gave him a brilliant ride,” a triumphant Aidan O’Brien said after the win. “He challenged along the inside and was very strong.”
“I’m delighted for the lads – that they have another very special horse. He danced every step as a two-year-old. This is only his second run this year and we always thought when he stepped up in distance we would see the best of him.”
“He’s out of a very good and fast Australian mare and he’s obviously by Galileo,” the master Ballydoyle trainer added. “He’s a horse to really look forward to.”
Provided he pulls up well the Epsom Derby hero will next be aimed at the Irish Derby at The Curragh.
Meanwhile, Coolmore’s success of buying from the Gold Coast for international success continued overnight when Pacific Ocean cruised to victory over a mile at Navan in Ireland.
Another son of Galileo, Pacific Ocean is the first foal of the former champion Australian filly Atlantic Jewel, who like Believe’n’succeed was trained by Mark Kavanagh.
A $320,000 purchase for Demi O’Byrne at the 2010 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Atlantic Jewel raced with incredible success – beaten only once in an 11 start career that netted four Group One victories.
