Ballydoyle's Camelot half-sister to Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Peaceful set for Cork debut

Our resident bloodstock experts profile the well-bred eyecatchers and expensive purchases set to grace the track.

Happiest

Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF (Fillies) Maiden (6.25 Cork, Wednesday)

What's the story?

Some high-class fillies have won this Cork contest en route to better things, namely subsequent Group 2 Prix de la Nonette scorer and Group 1 Preis von Europa second Trevaunance and fellow Group scorer Passion, also third in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes. The latter was trained by Aidan O'Brien for the Coolmore partners and they debut an interesting newcomer this time around in Happiest. 

How's she bred?

The two-year-old by Camelot is the eighth foal out of dual Listed winner and Group 1 Prix d'Astarte second Missvinski. The Stravinsky is the dam of five winners, headed by 2020 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner and Prix de Diane third Peaceful and stakes winner and Group-placed Easter, both by Galileo. 

Peaceful, also second in the Matron Stakes later that season, has a two-year-old Dubawi filly named Altogether Now, a yearling filly by Dubawi and a colt foal by Darley's superstar. Easter, meanwhile, was presented at Keeneland's November Sale in 2016 but failed to sell at $1,300,000, although she did make 800,000gns to Eaton Bloodstock at Tattersalls in 2019. 

Peaceful in full flight as she strode to Irish Classic successCredit: Patrick McCann

Who does she face?

Among the two-year-old's rivals is fellow debutante Tswalu, a daughter of Justify who sold to Alex Elliott for €400,000 at Arqana's August Sale. The Barronstown Stud-bred filly is a sister to the Listed-placed Shamwari and out of Adeste Fideles, a daughter of Giant's Causeway and the brilliant race filly and producer Imagine. That makes Adeste Fideles a sister to Meydan Group 2 scorer and Irish 2,000 Guineas third Viscount Nelson and a half-sister to two Group 1-winning juveniles in Horatio Nelson and Van Gogh.

Another to note is Calrissiana, an unraced daughter of Too Darn Hot and German Group 3 scorer Calyxa. The Pivotal mare was also placed at the highest level in Germany and Italy and is the dam of several useful winners. 

Of the raced horses, another Justify filly in Just Before should be expected to leave her debut effort well behind. The Coolmore filly is out of the Group-winning Sadler's Wells mare Gagnoa, a three-parts sister to Derby hero Pour Moi and the Listed-winning Kissed. That makes Just Before a half-sister to dual Group/Graded scorer and Group 1 Criterium International second Ancient Rome and another Group 3 winner in Etoile, both by War Front. 

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