Discoveries and Shane Foley© Photo Healy Racing
Discoveries continued a family tradition in winning a Group 1 race today, landing the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh, for owner/breeders the Niarchos Family and in-form pair trainer Jessica Harrington and stable jockey Shane Foley.
Harrington and Foley combined for a treble at yesterday's Leopardstown Champions Weekend-opener, highlighted by No Speak Alexander's controversial Matron Stakes win, and today Discoveries quickened well for a three parts of a length win over Agartha
Out of Group 1 winner Alpha Lupi, Discoveries is a sister to brilliant Alpha Centauri and a half-sibling to top-level winner Alpine Star and following the race Harrington said “how lucky am I to have three fillies out of the one mare to have won Group 1s.
“She’s a lovely, lovely filly and is completely different to Alpha Centauri, who was a big grey filly. This filly was not as big but she has done a lot of growing. She has a lovely temperament and is not as feisty as Alpha.
“Alpine Star looked completely different again. She was long and low, not very big.”
She added “she (Discoveries) was green the first time she ran and then won her maiden. We’d hoped she’d win the Alpha Centauri Debutante but the ground came up soft that day.”
Today's race is a win-and-you’re-in qualifier for the Breeders Cup and regarding plans, Harrington said “we’ll sit down and have a discussion with the Niarchos family to decide.”
Discoveries was later introduced at 20/1 by Paddy Power and Betfair for the English 1,000 Guineas.
Quotes from Alan Magee
