Quinn targets another big pot

Declarations are in for Naas on Thursday with 16 runners set to go to post for the inaugural €100,000 Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge.

The field of juveniles, all of which were catalogued in the 2021 Goffs Sportsman’s Sale, will tackle the straight five furlongs and 205 yards chasing a first prize of €50,000 on a day when Naas will be providing free entry to all registered breeders.

Following some notable British success on Irish Champions Weekend, there is a strong overseas contingent heading to Naas on Thursday also, with one of the successful raiders leading the five-strong charge.

Tipperary native John Quinn has firmly established a stellar career for himself based in Malton and took Group 1 honours at The Curragh on Sunday with star sprinter Highfield Princess.

On Thursday, Quinn will saddle two-time winner Signora Camacho in the Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge and he is unsurprisingly hoping to continue his fine run of form.

Quinn, who has retained the services of Ben Coen to ride this leading fancy, said this morning: "We’re happy with her and are looking forward to running her at Naas. It seems the ideal race for her as she qualifies, the prize money is good and she’s a decent filly with very good form.

"She won on easy ground up at Ayr though it was officially good and it was the same in York last time when she was second so we’d have no worries about her coping with soft ground.

"We like to bring horses to race back in Ireland when we get the chance and have been lucky so I hope the same will be the case with this filly but she’s done well and it’s a good opportunity for her."

From his three runners last weekend, Quinn not only saddled a Group 1 winner but also bagged plenty of prize money with inmates Safe Voyage and Mr Wagyu second and third respectively in €150,000 handicaps.

Quinn had a positive update on stable star and now triple Group 1 winner, Highfield Princess and though Signora Camacho might not be at that level yet, he expects the juvenile daughter of Camacho to make a bold bid for honours this week.

"Highfield Princess was outstanding. She was back yesterday morning early and she’s absolutely fine. Safe Voyage and Wagyu ran some races too. We were delighted with the weekend, that the horses ran really well and are fine," the trainer said.

"So we are looking forward to heading back to Kildare again this week, this time to Naas for what’s a fantastic race they’ve put on and hopefully with a good chance again."

The 82-rated Minnesota Lad makes the trip for Richard Fahey and Chris Hayes is a notable booking for that son of Sioux Nation.

"He just ran very disappointing in Newcastle last time and I don’t know why," Fahey said after keeping the colt in at the five-day stage. “He had been third in his first two races before winning his maiden at Beverley last month."

Tom Dascombe’s two-time winner Felix Natalis will be the mount of Seamie Heffernan, while championship chaser Billy Lee has picked up the spare ride on Richard Hannon’s charge Miami Girl, who has already won at Newmarket and Windsor.

Lee’s championship rival Colin Keane will partner the Noel Meade-trained Dutch Gold, who was third on debut at Galway, while Tracey Collins unleashes newcomer Not Forgotten, who won a barrier trial at Dundalk last month and is the mount of Ronan Whelan.

Henry Beeby, Goffs group chief executive said: "We are delighted to see a field of 16 declared for the €100,000 Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge on Thursday at Naas. The quality of entries as well as the number of horses travelling from the UK illustrates the broad appeal of Sportsman’s yearlings and the draw of such a lucrative prize fund.

"Every year Goffs Sportsman’s Sale punches above its weight for two-year-old and Group success and we have catalogued another strong collection of commercial yearlings to be offered at Kildare Paddocks from 29-30 September, immediately following the two-day Orby Sale.

"The Sportsman’s Challenge is a key part of Goffs’ overall support of Irish racing as well of that of our vendors for whom such buyer initiatives aim to benefit at the sales. We look forward to a great day’s racing on Thursday and extend our thanks to the team at Naas for their positivity and proactivity."