Poker Face required as Marlhill House Stud offer full-sister at Book 2

A Group-winning update for a sibling about to go through the ring is just the news a vendor wants to receive to stand out from the crowd. To get two, from a horse set to be in top-level company before long, is even better.

Poker Face’s rampant progress over the last couple of months for the Simon and Ed Crisford stable has been particularly pleasing for his breeder, Marlhill House Stud.

At the end of July, he became a Listed winner at Pontefract. Come the end of August he had added the Group 3 Prix Quincey before, on Arc weekend, he landed a decisive victory over the top-class Isaac Shelby in the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein.

The timing could not have been better for Eddie and Eimear Irwin’s Tipperary-based stud as it prepares to offer his Fastnet Rock full-sister as lot 724 in Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

Marlhill House is a private stud with around 15 broodmares outside Cashel, close to the exclusive Rockwell College. It was founded by the Irwins in 1998 and stud manager Brian McConnon has been there since the outset. 

Marlhill House Stud's Fastnet Rock full-sister to Poker Face sells at Tattersalls Book 2Credit: Tattersalls

"Everyone gets a huge buzz when a horse like Poker Face comes along," he says. "Of course it’s nice when they make money at the sales, but when they go on and win big races like that, it feels like a vindication of your work.

"From what I’ve heard, I think the Lockinge will be a target for next season, which would be massive for the mare. We have her in foal to Justify at the moment and a Group 1 update on the page would be very nice too.

"The yearling is a lovely, racy filly. She just looks like she’s a ball of speed and we’re looking forward to showing her to people."

The filly has a bit more rarity as she will probably be among the last European offerings by Fastnet Rock, Coolmore’s cross-hemisphere giant and sire of stars from Atlantic Jewel and Merchant Navy to this year’s Pretty Polly winner Via Sistina who has remained in Australia.

She is out of the winning Galileo mare Stars At Night, a sibling of Guineas and Irish Oaks heroine Blue Bunting.

"I suppose it’s no secret we’re huge supporters of the sire, we’ve been using him since he started shuttling to Europe and we’ve had a lot of success with him both on the track and in the ring," says McConnon.

Brian McConnon: "When they go on and win big races like that, it feels like a vindication of your work" Credit: © Peter Mooney

"We’ve bred Fastnet Tempest and Star Devine [Poker Face’s other sister], who were both stakes winners.

"The Galileo cross is a magical cross that people are looking for, and we bought the mare in mind for using with Fastnet Rock. Knowing that it was probably going to be his last year up here, we sent four mares to him and got four lovely fillies. I think he’s a hugely underestimated sire."

Marlhill House, which reached the top level with David Wachman and the late Evie Stockwell’s Luas Line in a Grade 1 at Belmont, also had the proud moment of a Goffs Orby sale-topper in 2017 with the €1,600,000 Frankel colt Old Glory. His dam, Belesta, was one of those who had visited Fastnet Rock.

"Her filly made 400,000gns at Book 1 to Highclere, and Badgers Bloodstock bought another filly for 75,000gns," says McConnon. "The week before at Goffs, the other Fastnet Rock filly made €200,000 to Avenue Bloodstock, Medallion Racing and Kim Valerio. 

"We’ve also got a lovely Churchill colt (762) to sell at Book 2, he’s out of a good mare called Thai Haku and is a three-parts brother to stakes winner Sarrocchi.

"It’s lovely to have been able to keep some of these families for generations, and it’s been a good year so far. Hopefully we can finish it on a high."

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