A power-packed start to stallion life for Darley's triple Group 1 winner Space Blues

Power Blue launched the stallion career of his sire Space Blues with an emphatic victory in the first race of the Irish turf season at the Curragh on Sunday.

For the third year in a row, the opening juvenile maiden of the Irish season went to a runner from the yard of Adrian Murray and for the second year in succession the winner was by a first-season sire.

Power Blue was ridden by David Egan and raced prominently throughout the Castle Star At Capital Stud Irish EBF Maiden, and when challenged by Army Leave he pulled away to win by three and three-quarter lengths, with Army Leave fading to third and Slaney View staying on into second.

Afterwards, Robson Aguiar representing Power Blue's ownership said the colt probably needed further than the five furlongs of Sunday's race.

"He's a very nice horse and probably needs six furlongs already. I think he did very well to win and he has a lot of class, but he's still very babyish. Whatever he did today there's a lot to improve as he is still green. He was able to win today but he will improve a lot.

"We will see how he is after the race, if he needs a break he will get it but we will see how he is."

Space Blues: off to a winning start with Power BlueCredit: Edward Whitaker

Power Blue was bred by Finanza Locale Consulting and went through the sales ring twice, first as a foal at Goffs, where he made €30,000 to BLTB from Oak Lodge and Springfield House Stud, and second time around at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, when bought by Drumloose Stables from Manister House Stud for £44,000.

He has an interesting pedigree as the first foal out of Visions, an Italian Group-placed daughter of Worthadd, which makes him inbred 2x3 to Dubawi.

Last year the team won with Arizona Blaze from the first crop of Sergei Prokofiev and he went on to win the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes and place at the highest level in the Phoenix Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Arizona Blaze got his three-year-old career off the the perfect start at Dundalk on Friday night.

Two years' ago Murray sent out Bucanero Fuerte to win this race and he developed into a top-class two-year-old, successful in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes and Group 2 Railway Stakes and placed in the Group 1 National Stakes and Coventry. The brother to Prix de l'Abbaye winner Wooded has embarked on his own stallion career at Tally-Ho Stud this year.

Both Arizona Blaze and Bucanero Fuerte ran in the colours of Amo Racing but Power Blue races for the LNA Racing Syndicate.

Power Blue is the second runner by Space Blues, whose three Group/Grade 1 victories included the Breeders' Cup Mile. Earlier on Sunday Amelia made her debut in the Prix du Premier Pas at Lyon-Parilly, the first juvenile contest of the French turf season. The race was won by Minotor, a colt by Haras de Colleville's Goken.

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