O'Flynn flying with Blandford winner Royal Ascot runner-up Lumiere Rock gained a first success of 2023 when easily landing the Curragh's Group 2 Moyglare Jewels Blandford Stakes today, scoring for flat racing 'convert' and prominent owner Michael O'Flynn. The Saxon Warrior-filly had finished second in the Ribblesdale Stakes in June and today raced prominently under jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle before comfortably beating Jackie Oh. O'Flynn's Saddler's Rock was a high-class flat stayer in 2011/12 and while the property developer previously had stronger links to jumps racing, today notably revealed he was “now favouring flat racing but I still love national hunt”. Winning trainer Joseph O'Brien added “Lumiere Rock was running consistently well in real good company all season. She was just beaten in Ascot and just beaten in France the last day. She really did deserve her win in Group 2 level and won today like a filly that will hold her own in Group 1 company as she gets older. “She has two obvious targets for the autumn, one in France on Arc day and one in the fillies race in Ascot on British Champions Day. We’ll see how she pulls up and she’ll tell us which way we go. She’s an exciting filly and will hold her own in either of those two big races.” He added “we think that potentially she can win a Group 1, so whether that is later this year or next year she’s a very solid consistent filly. She’s a joy to train and I’m sure to own for Michael.” Quotes from Alan Magee
