Blue-Blood Colt Wins G1

Tara Madgwick - Saturday August 10
The Group I Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh overnight couldn't quite provide the dream result for Triple Crown hero American Pharoah with his quality colt Monarch of Egypt finishing second to the unbeaten Juddmonte Farms homebred Siskin.

Siskin - Curragh Racecourse TwitterThe Ger Lyons trained Siskin had the better of Monarch of Egypt in the their previous meeting in the Group II Railway Stakes on June 29 and the placings remained the same this time around.

Monarch of Egypt looked the winner a furlong from home, but Siskin was determined and prevailed to win the six furlong contest by three-=quarters of a length and has now won four from four.

"My confidence was shot all week with the rain purely because we knew he was better on a faster gallop. His forte is that burst of speed that he still showed there. I think he's a very smart horse," said Ger Lyons.

"Talk of Guineas at this stage is very premature as we are racing over six furlongs in August. Today was to tell us do we step up to seven for the Dewhurst or the National Stakes or do we go the Middle Park route. Did we learn anything trip wise? I don't know. I just learned that this is one good, tough horse. We'll get together and make a plan with him. What a horse to have - he's so push button."

One of 11 stakes-winners by the US based Unbridled's Song stallion First Defence, Siskin is a three-quarter brother-in-blood to Champion US Older Mare and five time Group I winner Close Hatches being the first winner from Oasis Dream mare Bird Flown, who is a half-sister to her dam.

Bird Flown is a grand-daughter of Best in Show's influential daughter Monroe, whose descendants have delivered much success for Juddmonte Farms and include horses such as Xaar, Senure, Cityscape and Bated Breath, while Australian based sire Domesday is also a member of the family.

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