Making his first appearance in the Godolphin blue Starspangledbanner's 4yo son Home Of The Brave scored a hard-fought victory in Saturday's Group III Timeform Jury (The John Of Gaunt Stakes) Stakes (7f) at Haydock.
Ridden James Doyle, the Hugo Palmer-trainee fought off the fast finishing Convey by a neck with So Beloved back in third. (photo Coolmore)
It was his second consecutive stakes win after making a winning seasonal debut in a Listed race at Leicester four weeks back.
Home of the Brave was an 80,000 euro purchase from the Deauville ARQANA Yearling Sale for Australian syndicate Flemington Bloodstock, which involves Justin Bahen and Troy Corstens, whose father Leon trained Starspangledbanner before his purchase by Coolmore.
Home of the Brave is the first winner for the Beat Hollow mare Blissful Beat, an unraced half-sister to Group III winners Rashbag (Reprimand) and Suggestive (Reprimand) who won The John Of Gaunt Stakes 12 years before his nephew.
"He relaxed quite well and when I asked him to pick up, he took a couple of strides," Doyle told Sporting Life.
"He's a horse that's improving all the time.
"He's very forward-going but he has a great attitude and is always willing to please."
Trainer Hugo palmer has ambitious plans for the son of Starspangledbanner.
"This was a bit of a recovery mission, but he's a Group Three winner again now," Palmer said.
"What I loved today was the way he had to dig deep as in all his races previously, he's either won easily or been beaten a long way.
"Today he was softened up by Breton Rock but still fought off Convey.
"He's much more amenable now. I told James don't be afraid to mess about with the pace, which he did, but he felt he may have won easier if he'd just let him roll, but that might have suited So Beloved.
"There is a Grade One at Saratoga in June for him, beyond that there's the Keeneland Mile and the Breeders' Cup Mile.
"Over here there are a few seven-furlong races, but all within a few weeks of each other so you have to aim at one. Then there's the Foret, but that's usually on
Starspangledbanner will return to Coolmore Australia for the 2016 season having stood the last three southern hemisphere seasons at Rosemont Stud in Victoria.
The striking son of Choisir will stand at a fee of $24,750.
