Flaming Rib became the first stakes winner for his first-season sire Ribchester when registering a one-length win in Saturday's Listed Doncaster Stakes (1200m).
Prepared by Ton Dascombe, Flaming Rib landed a trio of nursery handicaps–at Thirsk, York and Chester–in his three most recent outings and continued on an upward trajectory with a first black-type triumph.
“He's been great and has won four on the bounce now,” said assistant trainer Colin Gorman.
“He's been straightforward and has improved as the year has gone on. He's rated 108 now and it takes a fair bit to get a two-year-old to that rating. He's very tough and, as [jockey] Pierre-Louis [Jamin] said after the Chester run, he manages to pick up twice in a race. In our book, the horses that do that are good horses. He puts his head down and battles it out as well.
“He will get seven furlongs, but I don't know if we need to step up in trip as he does it well as it is. I'd say that will be it for the year and he could be a Commonwealth Cup horse (Gr.1, 1200m) next year.”
Ribchester, who shuttles from Darley in the UK to Haunui Farm in New Zealand, has now sired 14 winners from his first crop in Europe.
A four-time Group One winner at a mile, Ribchester stood his first two shuttle seasons at Darley in Australia, and covered 78 mares in his first season at Haunui Farm last season.
A son of Iffraaj, who worked so well in New Zealand, Ribchester is standing his fourth season at Haunui Farm this year for a fee of $15,000 + GST.
