Whistlejacket Wins G1 Prix Morny

Tara Madgwick - Monday August 19

He won the first two year-old stakes race of the year in Ireland back in May and the Aidan O’Brien colt with the famous name is now a Group I winner with Whistlejacket capturing the Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville in France overnight.

A speedy son of No Nay Never, Whistlejacket has had a busy year having five starts before the Morny and never finishing worse than fourth.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, Whistlejacket worked forward to lead and kicked clear to win by three-quarters of a length improving on his last start second in the Group I Phoenix Stakes to quality filly Babouche.

Advertisement

The victory emulated that of his sire No Nay Never, who won the Prix Morny in 2013.

“Whistlejacket is a very fast horse. He's very quick. At the Curragh, it didn't set up perfectly for him but because he's so fast and precocious we thought he could do both races,” said Aidan O’Brien.

“It's hard for a horse to do both, especially when they're only a week apart, but speed is his big thing really He's a five and six furlong horse. He's very quick so I'd say it's the Middle Park for him and then go from there with the Breeders' Cup as an aim as well.”

Whistlejacket was a 500,000 guinea Tattersalls Book 1 purchse.

A 500,000 guinea purchase from Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale for MV Magnier and White Birch Farm, Whistlejacket is bred to be good as a full brother to Group I winning juvenile Little Big Bear, the Champion European 2YO Colt of 2022. He is the sixth winner from eight foals to from stakes-winning Bering mare Adventure Seeker.

He is the eighth Group I winner for No Nay Never, who has had 17 juvenile winners this year, six of them stakes-winners.

Click to find out more.

Am sure when the Coolmore partners bestowed the name of Whistlejacket on this colt they were hoping for something special and with a Group I win on the resume he has done the name proud.

This lovely colt has the overall record of three wins and two seconds from six starts and is the right colour to carry the name of one of the most famous horses in the world.

Any visitor to the National Gallery in London that has even the slightest interest in horses will remember one thing from their visit and it will be Whistlejacket, the famous painting of a chestnut thoroughbred colt by renowned artist George Stubbs.

I brought the print home with me when I saw it some 30 years ago and it has remained with me every since and hangs above my desk.

The interesting thing I have found over the years is that so many horse people and friends of mine have the same thing hanging somewhere in their world.

The magic of Whistlejacket speaks to the horse lover in a way no other art work does, you can keep the Mona Lisa, we’ll stick with Whistlejacket!

Advertisment
More Reading...
Unique Filly a History Maker for Godolphin and Waller
The re-distribution of the Godolphin owned Australian racehorses has been a hot topic in recent weeks as they departed the care of James Cummings to join a wide spread of different trainers and one of those was Chris Waller, whose first runner for the blue army was a winner at Rosehill on Saturday.
Kosciuszko calling Rosehill winner Elson Boy
Dubbo-trained Elson Boy was back in the winner’s circle after a 412-day absence when leading throughout to land the Jockeys Celebration Day Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill in the hands of apprentice William Stanley.
Winning Hat-Trick for Progressive Pierro
Richard and Will Freedman probably have more talented horses in the stable than Pierro gelding Cold Brew, but few have the consistency of this four year-old who landed a winning hat-trick at Rosehill on Saturday.
King of Roseau Wins G3 Aurie’s Star
Placed in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes at Flemington last spring as a three year-old behind Growing Empire, Capitalist gelding King of Roseau returned to the same venue on Saturday to capture the Group III VRC Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
Kiwi Bred Keeps Winners Coming for Payne Stable
The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained Bold Soul has been a consistent performer right through the winter months and notched another win at Flemington when prevailing in the VRC Membership Renewals Open (2530m) on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 2
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
The Novelist Returns to Form
The very first stakes-winner for his sire Written By when winning the Group III BRC BJ McLachlan Stakes in December 2022, The Novelist made light of the heavy 10 track at Rosehill on Saturday to claim another victory.
Dual Group Winner Too Darn Good At Flemington
A dual group winner during the Spring of her 3yo season, talented mare Too Darn Discreet showed an electric turn of foot, charging home over the top of them to win the Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Crossbow Takes Aim At Flemington To Score
With quality efforts behind handy horses in his first three starts, trainer Chris Waller crossed the border to Victoria with instant success for the Star Thoroughbreds raced Crossbow, with the well-marked son of Better Than Ready breaking through for an impressive win.
Sliding Doors Moment Delivers Feel Good Winner at Rosehill
Two fillies were born at Yulong in 2021 sired by Alabama Express from imported North American daughters of Street Cry, one of them is triple Group I winner Treasurethe Moment and the other is the feel good winner of the day at Rosehill on Saturday.