Grosvenor Square looks promising for O’Brien on Galway bow

Thomas Weekes
September 12, 2023 5:00 pm

Ballybrit maiden has been a starting point for Kyprios and Sovereign in the past.

Grosvenor Square looked a name to note in landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Galway – a race Aidan O’Brien has dominated over the years, including with the likes of Kyprios and Sovereign.

A Galileo half-brother to 2020 Irish Derby winner Santiago, he was made the 6-4 favourite under Killian Hennessy and after being ridden to take control inside the furlong pole he was nicely on top at the line.

Entries for Grosvenor Square include the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, and a step up in class appears to be on the agenda next time out.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He is a lovely horse, he is only starting to develop and was just right for starting here. Aidan thought it would be a nice introduction to get him started, but obviously they went steady which wouldn’t suit.

“He is a brother to Santiago and on pedigree and home work he will be a lovely middle-distance horse next year. We’ll step him up into one of the Group races now and everything is building to next year.

“It took Killian a long time to pull him up and he was only doing his best work once he hit the line.”

He added: “We’ve started many of the good horses here including Kyprios, and Navy Seal won here at the last meeting (in August). It is a great introduction for them, especially the middle-distance horses, coming down a hill on sharp bends and then coming back up the hill.

“It brings them along mentally and it is good to get runs under their belts at this time of year.

“Seamus (Heffernan) has three suspensions in a row so is off until the end of this month and with Ryan (Moore) in England, it is nice to get Killian another winner. All the riders are in and working hard and in fairness to Aidan he looks after all of them.”