Danehill Dancer colt Master joins Railway roll of honour
30th June 2008
Year after year, the Curragh’s G2 Railway Stakes proves one of the season’s most influential juvenile events and the 2008 running on Sunday looks to be no different.
Aidan O’Brien has an incredible record in the race thanks to the likes of Rock Of Gibraltar, Holy Roman Emperor, George Washington, King Of Kings, Antonius Pius and Hold That Tiger and he saddled his 10th winner in the last 12 runnings when Mastercraftsman (2c Danehill Dancer-Starlight Dreams, by Black Tie Affair) took the six-furlong contest on Sunday.
Mastercraftsman - who won his only other start in a Curragh maiden in May - was still green but held on to beat Alhaban and looks set to benefit from a step up in trip.
"He’s tough but is still a baby and is still learning. He won’t mind stepping up in trip and we’ll probably run him over seven furlongs next time," said O´Brien. "He’s a big rangy colt with a great action and better ground would suit him better."
Mastercraftsman is as short as 14/1 to emulate Rock Of Gibraltar, King Of Kings and George Washington to go on to win next year’s G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Danehill Dancer went on to complete a black-type double when the David Wachman-trained Lisvale (3c Danehill-Dancer-Farthingale, by Nashwan) won the Listed Woodies DIY Celebration Stakes by an impressive two lengths.
"He's a horse I could bring to America sometime later this season, so we'll wait and see," said Wachman.
Lisvale, who changed hands for 270,000 euros at the 2006 Goffs Million Sale, was bred by Rick Barnes' Grangecon Stud and is owned by Moira McNamara.