Aidan O’Brien has unleashed a torrent of superbly bred juveniles this year for the Coolmore partners, but there are none better bred than Henry Longfellow who put himself in the picture for next year’s Newmarket 2000 Guineas with a dominant win in the Group II Futurity Stakes (7f) at The Curragh overnight.
By Dubawi from 2016 European Horse of the Year Minding, Henry Longfellow won his debut last month and then made light work of his first Graded test, powering away from Wootton Bassett colt Islandsinthestream to win by two lengths for Ryan Moore.
“You'd be very happy with Henry Longfellow. The good thing about it was that it was a good solid even run race so he'll learn plenty. That's what we were hoping would happen, either that or he would have had to go himself. It was lovely and I'm delighted,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“He's a classy horse, he's able to travel and quickens too. He got a bit lazy when he went there and Ryan caught hold of him and made stretch out, that's what he wanted. The next one is the Dewhurst (G1), that is the plan. City Of Troy (Justify) is coming here to the National Stakes so he'll go to the Dewhurst.”
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Henry Longfellow is the first winner for champion Galileo mare Minding, who is a full sister to Champion European 3YO Filly and Epsom Oaks winner Tuesday as well as Group I Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine from dual Group I winner Lillie Langtry.
Henry Longfellow is the 260th stakes-winner for champion sire Dubawi and is his 12th from a daughter of Galileo.
