Greenfinch heads into winter quarters as another smart Justify prospect

Michael Graham
November 1, 2023 4:57 pm

Ballydoyle filly shows right attitude in victory at Dundalk.

Greenfinch could be another exciting daughter of Justify having opened her account at Dundalk on Wednesday.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Greenfinch built on her Punchestown debut when second at the Curragh last month and her class came to the fore as she made it third-time lucky in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Sent off the 5-2 joint-favourite for the seven-furlong event, the youngster tracked the early pace in the hands of Seamie Heffernan before making a stylish move to the front rounding the turn for home.

😍 Nice filly
🐎 The 5-2JF Greenfinch (Justify) opens her account on the third attempt in the @IrishEBF_ Maiden @DundalkStadium for @Ballydoyle & Seamie Heffernan
👀 By the same sire as City Of Troy, she is a half-sister to U S Navy Flag and Roly Poly pic.twitter.com/dKKj90DxPr

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 1, 2023

She then knuckled down gamely in the straight and showed a great attitude to edge out Jessica Harrington’s Cameo Performance by a neck in the closing stages.

Connections were delighted to see the half-sister of both July Cup winner U S Navy Flag and multiple Group One scorer Roly Poly get on the scoresheet and are now predicting a bright future.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “She’s a gorgeous filly and she has the pedigree to go with it.

“She had the two runs before on soft ground which wasn’t her ideal surface, but the experience stood to her.

“She was still a little bit green throughout the run, but Seamus felt her class got her through in the end.

Seamie Heffernan doubled up @DundalkStadium aboard Greenfinch pic.twitter.com/fX51AxZw4b
— Irishracing.com Live (@IrishRacing365) November 1, 2023

“She is a filly to look forward to next year, he thinks she will definitely develop up into a Group filly at somewhere between a mile and a mile and a quarter.

“She will develop physically and mentally over the winter. She’s one to look forward to.

“It is good to get the win next to her and the three runs will be a massive plus to her next year.”

A significant offspring of Justify for Ballydoyle next year is unbeaten 2000 Guineas favourite City Of Troy, and Armstrong added: “The Justifys are extremely exciting – they have all got a great mind, a great action and they are 100 per cent genuine.

“They have big, long strides and, once they get their ground and trip, they really come into a different league.

“Luckily, we have got a few nice ones and it is an exciting bunch of two-year-olds to look forward to for next year.”