Despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic also interrupting the American Steeplechasing season, it has already proven to be a particularly successful summer campaign for the recent exports of Baltimore Stables that have crossed the Atlantic, and that continued on Wednesday with the success of French Light in a valuable contest at Saratoga.
The French-bred son of Muhtathir had landed a four-year-old maiden at Boulta back in November for James & Ellen Doyle, and since being sold to his new American connections, he has now enjoyed back-to-back successes Stateside, by following up his recent success in a $20,000 maiden at Colonial Downs by leading home a 1-2 for fellow Baltimore Stables exports in a $48,000 allowance race.
His five and a quarter length victory under Gerard Galligan for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard was particularly notable for the Doyle siblings, as A Silent Player, who had finished ninth at Portrush last Autumn on his third and final outing for them, chased home his stablemate on Wednesday.
That son of Getaway, who had also opened his American account earlier this month in a $20,000 maiden at Colonial Downs, is also in training now with Sheppard, whose yard have enjoyed particular success with their recent purchases from the Doyle’s Baltimore Stables yard in Wexford.
These latest successes also follow the American victories of both Baltimore Bucko and Zoom Zoom Zoe this summer, with all four horses graduating from Baltimore Stables to the Sheppard yard which has also enjoyed success with another point-to-point graduate this summer, in Mick Goff’s former Kinsale maiden victor Galway Kid.
What an incredibly special day getting a 1-2 finish in Saratoga with two horses I picked out for the Naylors. Getting their colors back in the winners circle in Saratoga is so humbling, we are so excited for the futures of these two horses bought off @BaltimoreStable pic.twitter.com/YONYFv5rqw
— Keri Brion (@Keri145) August 26, 2020
