Racing overnight in Ireland and the UK produced a new 2YO Group I winner for No Nay Never and the second stakes-winner for Sioux Nation, both stallions sired by Scat Daddy, whose undefeated Triple Group I winning son Justify will have his first Australian runners this season.
The Curragh Phoenix Stakes (6f) was won by the Aidan O’Brien trained No Nay Never colt Little Big Bear, who turned the race into a procession when bolting clear for Ryan Moore to win by seven lengths.
Little Big Bear has won four of five starts, finishing second in a maiden on debut and then winning everything since.
“Little Big Bear looks a very special horse. We always thought from day one that he was something different. He's big, fast, strong and uncomplicated. It was a very good race, the best of the two-year-olds were there. Ryan was very complimentary about him and there's not too many horses Ryan is complimentary of,” said Aidan O'Brien.
Bought for 320,000 euros at the Arqana Deauville Yearling Sale last year he is the best of five winners from stakes-winning Bering mare Adventure Seeker, a grand-daughter of European Horse of the Year All Along.
Little Big Bear is the fourth Group I winner for former Coolmore shuttler No Nay Never, a fast sprinting son of Scat Daddy that came to Australia for four seasons and his final Australian foals are two year-olds.
The sire of 40 stakes-winners worldwide, No Nay Never runs at 7.8% stakes-winners to runners.
The Group III Sweet Solera Stakes (7f) at Newmarket was won by the Charlie and Mark Johnston trained filly Lakota Sioux, who became the second stakes-winner for her young sire Sioux Nation, who shuttled to Swettenham Stud for one season.
Placed third in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, Lakota Sioux improved off that to win by three-quarters of a length and has won two of four starts.
She was a modest £15,000 purchase for her trainers from the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and is a half-sister to quality stakes-winning stayer Sheraz, who is now trained by Chris Waller and was second in the Group I ATC Sydney Cup earlier this year.
Lakota Sioux is the second stakes-winner among six winners from good producing Group III winning Dalakhani mare Shemiyla, an Aga Khan bred mare from the family of Group I winner Shakeel.
Sioux Nation has had 20 first crop winners in Europe highlighted by two stakes-winners and three more stakes-placed horses with his one and only Australian crop to run here this season.
