Phoenix Stakes winner Lucky Vega could have a runner in the Brocklesby

Four first-season sires could have runners in the Brocklesby

By John Ingles

Horse Racing

Mon March 24, 2025 · 4d ago

John Ingles looks at the first-season sires and their entries in the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday.

Four first-season sires figure among the stallions represented among the twenty entries for the William Hill Bet 10 Get 10 EBF Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster, the traditional first two-year-old race of the Flat season in Britain.

Among the sires aiming to get a flying start with members of their first crop is Lope Y Fernandez. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the son of Lope de Vega didn’t win above Group 3 level, when successful in the Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh as a two-year-old, and gained his only subsequent win in a listed event over a mile at four, but he was placed several times in Group/Grade 1 company, including in the Irish 2000 Guineas and Breeders’ Cup Mile at three and the Queen Anne Stakes the following season. Whilst not a speedy two-year-old, Lope Y Fernandez was out early enough to run at Royal Ascot where he finished second in the Chesham Stakes following a successful debut over seven furlongs at the Curragh. Standing at the National Stud in Newmarket, Lope Y Fernandez’s first crop was produced from a fee of £8,500.

Lope Y Fernandez’s representative is Lope Harswell, trained by Roger Fell, who was sold for just 5,750 guineas as a foal. She’s a half-sister to two winners, including Mai Alward who won over six furlongs as a two-year-old, while her dam Livella Fella was a fairly useful handicapper, winning three races over nine/ten furlongs.

Another first-season sire son of Lope de Vega with a Brocklesby entry is Lucky Vega, sire of Mighty Vega trained by Lemos de Souza. Lucky Vega won twice over six furlongs at two for Jessica Harrington, notably the Phoenix Stakes, and trained on at three to be placed in the 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes. His first European crop was sired at the Irish National Stud at a fee of €15,000 but he has already had runners from his first southern-hemisphere crop, including a Group 2-winning two-year-old in Australia, Within The Law.

Mighty Vega, who fetched 19,000 guineas as a yearling, is a half-brother to five winners, most of them successful abroad. The best of his siblings, though, is Broxi, who showed fairly useful form as a two-year-old, winning twice over seven furlongs and finishing third in the Acomb Stakes. While Mighty Vega’s dam showed little in three starts, his grandam Zahrat Dubai was a smart filly who won the Musidora and Nassau Stakes and finished third in the Oaks.

A first-season sire who looks just the type to make a quick start with his first crop of youngsters is smart five-furlong performer A’Ali who counted the Norfolk Stakes, Prix Robert Papin and Flying Childers at two among his wins for Simon Crisford. He stands at Newsells Park Stud where his opening fee was £7,500.

His Brocklesby entry is gelding Spartacus Warrior trained by Tony Coyle & Kaine Wood. Sold for 8,000 guineas as a foal, Spartacus Warrior is the second foal out of Little Miss Daisy who was a fair performer on the all-weather, winning twice over five furlongs (including as a two-year-old) and twice more over seven furlongs.

The other Brocklesby entry by a first-season sire is Alkuwarrior who is a son of Alkumait, winner of the Mill Reef Stakes which was one of two of his wins over six furlongs as a two-year-old for Marcus Tregoning. A half-brother to 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean, Alkumait stood his first season at Castlefield Stud in Ireland at a fee of €5,000.

Trained by Des Donovan, Alkuwarrior was sold for €11,000 as a foal and is a half-brother to four winners, one of whom, Sister of Love, won on her two-year-old debut over six furlongs in France. Alkuwarrior’s dam Elegant Peace showed useful form in Ireland, winning over seven furlongs (at two) and an extended mile, and is a half-sister to numerous winners. They include the smart sprinter Hoh Mike, placed in the Norfolk, Flying Childers and Cornwallis at two, and the useful sprint handicapper Hogmaneigh whose wins included the Dash at Epsom and the Portland at Doncaster.

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.

Like what you've read?