Jessica Harrington© Photo Healy Racing
Jessica Harrington has made a bright start to the new Flat season with ten winners already on the board and, with 170 horses in total at Commonstown including over 60 two-year-olds, is excited by her current team.
Eternal Silence, third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes last autumn, probably heads her classic aspirants and may head straight to the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas.
“She is still a maiden a bit below the radar at the moment but is working very nicely. We are waiting for some nice ground to hopefully break her maiden tag on route to the Guineas and if the ground does not come right she will go straight for the Guineas,” said the Moone trainer.
Foniska holds a number of classic entries including the Epsom Oaks and will put her credentials on the line in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes at Navan tomorrow.
“She was impressive when winning her maiden at Thurles and will be suited by a mile and a quarter. She has done very well from two to three.”
Sounds Of Heaven is another filly of note and won a mile maiden at Leopardstown last backend. “She has got very strong but had a little setback in January. She is a hundred per cent now and heads for a Guineas trial early in May.
“Curvature is not an overly big filly but is doing things very nicely and we are happy with her. She was impressive when winning at Leopardstown (earlier this month) and will head to France for a three-year-old only fillies Listed race.
“Starry Heavens won her maiden well at the Curragh and runs in a conditions race at Cork (this afternoon). I think she will be a stayer.”
Bold Discovery and Quar Sharmar are both entered in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas.
“Bold Discovery looked big at Leopardstown (when second in the 2,000 Guineas Trial) and will go to the Curragh for the Tetrarch (on May 1). I think he will stay a mile.
“Quar Sharmar was impressive when winning at Dundalk last Friday and will improve from that run. He might go to a trial or head straight to the Guineas.”
Harrington also has a number of nice four-year-old fillies including Villanova Queen who won at Tipperary yesterday evening.
“She got a setback after the Guineas last season and made a winning comeback at Tipperary. She has a number of Group race entries over a mile and further.
“Trevaunance was a great servant last year in Deauville winning a Group 3 and a Group 2. She will start off in the Mooresbridge at the Curragh (on May 1) and her main aim for the first half of the season will be the Pretty Polly.
“Sierra Nevada was impressive when winning twice last year then disappointed at Yarmouth on her final run. She has come back a stronger filly this year and will head for the Victor McCalmont in Gowran.
“Irish Lullaby starts in the Noblesse at Cork (this afternoon). She was very progressive last year and hopefully will step up and be a very nice staying filly this season.”
The Churchill gelding Yashin won twice in handicaps last year including a valuable event at Navan and returns to that venue for his seasonal reappearance tomorrow.
“He runs in the Vintage Crop and is a beautiful big horse — 17 hands. I’m hoping he can step up into real staying company this year.”
