Record-priced mare Chicquita's first foal off the mark at Naas

Secret Thoughts – the first foal out of Chicquita, the most expensive thoroughbred ever sold at auction in Ireland – broke her maiden on her second start in the 6f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Naas on Wednesday.

The War Front filly, saddled by Aidan O'Brien for the Coolmore partners and ridden by trainer's son Donnacha, travelled easily and after being asked a question a furlong from home kept on well to win a shade cosily by a head from the Ger Lyons-trained runner-up Rita Levi (by Kodiac).

View the race result and watch the replay

Donnacha O'Brien said after the race: “Secret Thoughts is a lovely filly. She probably needed her first run fitness wise but she's one I like.

“I would rather have gone seven [furlongs] or a mile with her but it was nice to see her do it over this trip.”

Only eight years old, Chicquita has led a colourful life.

The daughter of Montjeu was bred by Ecurie des Monceaux and Skymarc Farm out of the Listed-winning Dansili mare Prudenzia – also dam of last week's Ribblesdale Stakes winner Magic Wand.

She was sold for €600,000 as a yearling at Arqana to Badgers Bloodstock on behalf of unconventional Australian owner Paul Makin.

Chicquita was trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre and became notorious for an incident when on her second start she looked all set to win a conditions race at Saint-Cloud but careered into a hedge and suffered a horrendous looking fall.

However, she was evidently unaffected by that collision as less than a month later she lined up for the Prix de Diane as a twice-raced maiden and found only the wondermare Treve too good at Chantilly.

Chicquita then landed the Irish Oaks but later that summer Makin sensationally decided to sell all his stock – including his well-bred Classic-winning filly.

Chicquita duly became the star of the Makin dispersal at the Goffs November Sale in 2013 and was centre stage of an unforgettable piece of sales ring theatre when Peter and Ross Doyle secured her for €6 million – the highest price ever paid for a horse at auction in Ireland – on behalf of Coolmore.

The filly raced for one more season with Aidan O'Brien, adding a second placing in the Blandford Stakes and third in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes – she might have won at Ascot but for throwing away her chance by hanging violently left – before being retired to stud.

Her first mating, which resulted in Secret Thoughts, was with Claiborne Farm flagship sire War Front – one of Coolmore's preferred outcross options for their many high-class mares by Sadler's Wells and sons Galileo and Montjeu.

War Front has repaid Coolmore's faith by being responsible for their homebred Group 1 winners Roly Poly and US Navy Flag – out of the Classic-winning Galileo mare Misty For Me – and Middle Park Stakes runner-up Fleet Review, a son of Rip Van Winkle's sister A Star Is Born.

War Front can be expected to make a greater impact on British and Irish racing as more and more of his well-bred young progeny make it to the racecourse.

Chicquita has a yearling filly by War Front and she visited Triple Crown hero American Phoaroah last year.

Like mother, like daughter, Secret Thoughts showed a hint of Chicquita's temperament as she flashed her tail when she came under pressure before her victory at Naas.

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