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Coolmore shuttler Henrythenavigator (USA) hit the headlines overnight when his talented son Pedro the Great scored a dominant victory in the Group I Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh.
The Aidan O'Brien trained colt coped admirably with the soft track, cruising clear over the concluding stages to win the six furlong event by two and three-quarter lengths, but it was not all good news for the Ballydoyle team as his more fancied stablemate Cristoforo Columbo (another son of Henrythenavigator) fell in the final furlong after looming up to win.
Joseph O'Brien was aboard Cristoforo Columbo when he clipped heels and went down, but both horse and rider emerged largely unscathed from the incident.
It was a return to top form for Pedro The Great after a last start fifth in the Group II Railway Stakes and winning rider Seamie Heffernan said: "We blamed the ground the last day but I might have ridden him wrong.
"From the two-marker he was making a move and I pushed him all the way. I don't see why he shouldn't get seven furlongs or a mile."
With two wins from four starts, Pedro The Great will probably seek further Group I success in the upcoming National Stakes on September 15.
A 150,000 guineas purchase from the 2011 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Pedro the Great runs for the Coolmore partners and is a half-brother to Group I English 2,000 Guineas winner and sire Footstepsinthesand and to the dam of Group I Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Power.
He is the fourth winner from Group III winning Rainbow Quest mare Glatisant, who comes from the family of imported Australian Group I winner December Draw (IRE).
Pedro the Great is the first stakes-winner and first Group I winner for Henrythenavigator (pictured) , who has made a bright start to his stud career having retired to Coolmore with impeccable credentials.
A winner of the Group II Coventry Stakes over 1200m at Royal Ascot as a two year old, a race in which he established a new track record, he returned at three to become a Champion miler.
His stellar three year old season included four consecutive Group I wins, including another record setting effort in the Group I St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Henrythenavigator's first Australian yearlings commanded big prices in sales rings across Australasia in 2012, with the top price being a $350,000 colt at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Henrythenavigator will stand the 2012 southern hemisphere season at Coolmore Australia at a fee of $22,000 incl. GST.
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