Two year-olds by Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) have been a phenomenon in Europe this year and he added another new stakes-winner to the tally in Ireland overnight where Whirl captured the Group III Staffordstown Stakes (1m) at The Curragh.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Wayne Lordan, Whirl was seen as the second string runner for the stable, but proved too good in a most tenacious display with her stablemate and race favourite Giselle finishing a close fourth. Whirl scored by half a length to take her overall record to two wins from four starts at her first attempt in Black Type company.
“I’m delighted with them, they ran very well. Ryan’s filly was a bit babyish and a bit green. He was trying to teach her, which was the right thing to do,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“He was delighted with her. He said she wasn’t there yet, he said she got there and got a little bit tired with him. She had a big hold-up and I ran her because I thought we’d get Ryan over because I needed him to sit on her again. The experience will do her good for next year.
“Wayne’s filly has more experience, she got out there and is tough and found plenty. He gave her a lovely ride, he went his pace and was left alone in front.
“It’s amazing with those Wootton Bassetts, one after another they are coming. They just get better the more you train them.”
A Coolmore homebred filly, Whirl is the first winner for blueblood Galileo mare Salsa, a full sister to Group I winners The United States, Hermosa and Hydrangea, the dam of this season’s Group I placed stakes-winner Wingspan. Salsa is also a half-sister to Group III winner Fire Lily and sister to the dam of another stakes-winner in Sounds of Heaven, who is now racing in Australia in the Fairway Thoroughbreds colours and trained by Joe Pride.
Whirl is the 54th stakes-winner for Wootton Bassett, who is covering in Australia this spring at a fee of $192,500.
Wootton Bassett has sired 36 juvenile winners in the Northern Hemisphere this year and they include 11 stakes-winners headed by Group I winner Camille Pissarro and another even Black Type placed horses.
