Coolmore
have outlaid considerable investment on Australian bred mares that have been
sent to stud in Ireland and one of those mares featured with an impressive
stakes-winner overnight with exciting prospect Anthony Van Dyck upping the ante
to win the Group II Futurity Stakes at The Curragh.
Ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by Aidan O'Brien, two year-old Galileo colt
Anthony Van Dyck was a short priced favourite on the strength of his impressive
last win in the Group III Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown and duly forged clear to
win by half a length pleasing his connections.
"He'll have learned a
good bit from that. He was a bit lazy in the middle of the race but did it well
in the last furlong. He's now won two Group races over seven furlongs and has
also won over a mile and we've always thought of him as a colt who should get
middle distances next year," said Aidan O'Brien.
"He'll come back here for the National Stakes next month and so will the other
two -Christmas (second) and Mohawk (third)."
A half-brother to Group I winner Bounding from stakes-winning Exceed and Excel
mare Believe'n'Succeed, Anthony Van Dyck has snow won three of four starts and is
currently listed for next year's Investec Epsom Derby at 10-1.
"He's a colt that I
like an awful lot. He really impressed me at Leopardstown and I think the
ground was maybe a little too tacky for him today but he was well on top in the
last furlong, it was comfortable in the end. Hopefully he'll keep progressing.
He's got a good look and lovely attitude, he'll learn a lot for the future,"
said Ryan Moore.
Anthony Van Dyck is the third winner for Group III winner Believe'n'Succeed and
her first in the Northern Hemisphere since she was purchased by Tom Magnier for
$1.1 million at the 2014 Magic Millions.
Believe'n'Succeed is a full sister to Darley's promising young sire Kuroshio,
who has left winners in both hemispheres this year.