Though there were many wins by horses bred and raised at Croom House, since the flat season opened in April, we did not write each one up individually.  Over the past weeks we have seen the 2YO’s, we sold as yearlings last year, get started and we should have exciting months ahead.  The older horses performance during the past months kept the flag flying and I thought we should give a mention to at least five.

Silver State

Silver State got his handicap mark as a 2YO and made no mistake when he got to the track as a 3YO this year.  His trainer Jack Channon has done a wonderful job getting four victories before June 1st and then finishing 2nd in the Class Two Lester Piggott Handicap at Epsom on Derby day.  He deserves some time off and with an official rating now of 90 the road ahead may be more difficult.

Geo

Geo changed trainer going to Jim Goldie in Scotland and has done his racing in the northern and Scottish tracks.  Running on five occasions between May 20th and June 25th he claimed one win and three placed efforts and at Hamilton on June 25th,  just got caught on the line losing by a nose.  He should win again in the months ahead.

Physique

Physique was purchased by Patsy Sheehan from Killarney in 2024 and continues to give of his best.  Placed twice in May at Beverley and at Yarmouth he went to Newmarket on June 19th to contest the Zyn Pole Handicap.  He ran out a convincing winner, he finished four lengths ahead of the 2nd with a further two lengths back to 3rd.  His total winnings amount to €135,000 and he is sure to add to this  in the months ahead even though his new official handicap rating is 86.

Carvahal

Carvahal was touched off in Limerick on 10th June and reappeared on the same track nine days later.  This time he had a comfortable two lengths victory on softer ground which he loves.  The long sunny days have given us firm ground so he may have to wait for suitable soft ground for his next run.

So Darn Right

So Darn Right needs a mention though his winnings have been at Nakayama and Tokyo in Japan.  Lightly raced his ten runs have resulted in four wins and two seconds, earning almost €400,000.  This was the first foal out of the Dark Angel mare Leafhopper.  Her next live foal by No Nay Never was born in 2025 and will be sold at the Tattersalls Book One Sale in October.  Leafhopper has a full brother colt foal on the ground and is in foal to No Nay Never.

 

Some of the yearlings we sold last year have had their first runs in late June giving us a winner and three placed horses.  We look forward to seeing them on the racecourse this month.

July - December

Unique Journey

October 15th 2026

Unique Journey has had four wins and five placed efforts, including listed placed, and has earned close to €100,000. He carried top weight when appearing at The Curragh in the DNG Nationwide handicap with a prize of €20,615 for the winner. With a very dry summer his trainer had been waiting all year for softer conditions and this he got with the official going given as soft. Staying up with the pace and taking the lead over 1f out he went clear on the run in and had four lengths to spare over the 2nd horse. His Trainer said he hopes to have one more race this year before the season finishes on November 1st.

Unique Journey is the first foal out of the US winning mare Surround. Her second foal, a Mehmas colt, was sold at the Breeze Up sale this year for £150,000 and her Starspangled Banner filly was sold at Goff’s last month for €235,000.  Surround has a Mehmas filly foal on the ground and is in foal to Starman.
Vincenzo Peruggia

October 5th 2026

Vincenzo Peruggia who was a winner as a 2YO and was given an official rating of 89 seemed to lose his way at 3.   His runs in August and September, where he finished 4th on both occasions, showed he was regaining his 2YO form as on each run he was beaten by just 2 lengths. When he went to Yarmouth on October 5th he was stepped up to 1m2f where all his previous runs had been over 1 mile. On this occasion he continued with his front running tactics, leading after the first furlong and leaving it to the others to catch me if you can. Though the margin was reducing in the final 100yds no horse could come and catch him and he won by a cosy half a length. Now that he has returned to his best form and raced over probably his ideal distance further wins could await.

His dam Sliabh Luachra lost a full brother at foaling in 2024 but has a St Mark’s Basilica filly foal on the ground in 2026. She is back in foal to Lope De Vega.
Pool Bay

21st September 2026

Pool Bay (Neway X Knocknagree) was a much talked about horse before he appeared on a racecourse at Leicester on September 21st. Though his first time on a race course he went to post at the shorts odds of 9/2 .

Pool Bay is a Too Darn Hot Colt out of the mare Knocknagree who is a sister to the multiple Group winners Zoffany ,  Rostropich  and Wilshire Boulevard .

He is a ¾ brother to Idea Generation who was a multiple Group winner in the USA, including the Flower Bowl Stakes Group 2.

In the valuable British Stallion Studs Maiden Stakes, worth Stg. £9,200 he did not let the family down running out a comfortable winner.  Staying close to the pace he challenged from 1f out to deliver a comfortable ¾ of a length win.  We have had some very good 2yo’s from last years yearling sales and Pool Bay is certainly one of them, if he runs again before year end it is likely to be in a conditions black type of race.
Dynamic Pricing

20th September 2026

Dynamic Pricing is now a 5yo  and is given long breaks between her races. In all she had only 3 runs in 2026 before appearing at Belmont Park on Sunday last. She has only run 14 times in all during 3 years on the track with 13 of those runs in Stakes races. The Stakes result reads 13 runs, 4 wins, and 4 placed efforts.  Her win at Belmont Park on Sunday brings her total earnings to $1.1m. We can look at this huge return compared to $200,000 paid for her by Mike Ryan & Chad Brown in Book 1 in 2023 .

Further races are likely before year end but now that she has joined the group of millionaire fillies trips to the breeding shed may be on the cards in 2027.
Geo

17th September 2026

We have grown accustomed to Geo running twice each month and either winning or in the shake up for a placed effort . In July he finished a close 2nd  and a close 3rd followed by a 4th at Ayr in August. With an official rating of 72 he went back to Ayr on September 17th  and his followers must have deserted him as he went to post at 15/2. The race was the Scottish Premier series EBF Handicap with a prize money for the winner Stg £9,000. On this occasion Geo stayed up with the pace and raced in 2nd  spot, fighting off all challengers in the final 100 yards to win by a neck. In winning he beat the older and fancied Krissy from the same stable so the two must have had lots to laugh about on the way home.

We would like to congratulate trainer Jim Goldie and owners Summerstorm Bloodstock Limited who must be getting so much enjoyment from Geo’s racing.
Austrian Theory

16th September 2026

Austrian Theory even though he is 7 years old his enthusiasm to race and win needs to be recognised. He has been raced 56 times and has had 5 wins and 13 placed efforts. In all he has won almost €200,000.

He went to post at Beverley on September 16th, sent off a second favourite and carrying 9st 7lbs the second highest weight. In this 1¼ mile contest he stayed in the rear for the first mile and started making headway against the rail from 2f out. He hit the front in the final 100 yards running out an easy 1½ length winner. He is obviously showing his appetite for racing and we must congratulate his trainer Tim Easterby who has kept him fresh and up to the task.
Sultan Darius

13th August 2026

Sultan Darius (Star Spangled Banner X Time Will Tell) ran three times in June & July, being placed twice and getting a generous official rating of 67. Coming from a wide draw, in a large field at Lingfield he was forced to race wide particularly over the final three furlongs. Getting to the front in the final 50 yards the official report suggested that he did very well in the circumstances of having to cover so much extra ground. He may also be better suited when racing over an additional furlong. Sultan Darius was sold to Hamza Laith at the Craven Breeze Up sale in April and it looks as if he has an exciting sprinter. His trainer Marco Botti has placed him cleverly, but his rating will go up significantly from this win.
Warrior Mode

12th August 2026

Warrior Mode (Night of Thunder X Serene Beauty) though now a 4YO has only raced seven times.  With two wins and two placed efforts from the seven starts we may at last see the best of him. His 2YO win in 2024 left him with an official rating of 88 and he seems to be able to handle that with ease.

Carrying a top weight of 10 st and 3 lbs at Kempton and giving weight all round in this ten-runner field he was backed as if defeat was out of the question.  He went to post as the 5/4 favourite and was held up in the rear for most of the one-mile contest. He quickly asserted control when moving up at 1f mark and ran out a comfortable winner by one and a half lengths.

Warrior Mode is the son of the Street Cry mare, Serene Beauty and is her fourth winner.

A Ghaiyyath yearling filly was sold at October Book 2 last year and her Sioux Nation yearling filly goes to Book 2 this coming October. Serene Beauty is in foal to Diego Velazquez with her foal due in February 2027.
Amber Hamur

3rd August 2026

After her July win at Hamilton, and with a lenient official rating of 60 Amber Hamur appeared quickly on August 3rd at Ripon. She went to post as the 2/1 favourite and being the winner was never in doubt. Taking the lead at the one furlong mark she asserted in the final 100 yards with two lengths to spare at the post.

She was immediately given 5 lbs in her rating and with a rating of 65 she should not have any difficulty in making it a three timer.
God of Fire

13h July 2026

We never write up a winner of a Maiden Hurdle but we think God of Fire deserves special mention.  On the flat he had won on four occasions and had five placed efforts, winning almost €50,000.  He was trained by Stuart Williams in Newmarket, who was sad to see him go to John Joe O’Neill, to start his career over jumps.  On Monday he contested the Maiden Hurdle at Newton Abbot and went clear from two hurdles out.  He had four lengths to spare over the 2nd with a further fifty lengths back to the 3rd.  We would like to congratulate his owner Ben Hughes and this horse should give him many good days on the racecourse
Amber Hamur

11th July 2026

Amber Hamur (Saxon Warrior X Yellowhammer) was beaten in a photo at Beverley on July 3rd.  Her trainer did not waste any time when reappearing at Hamilton eight days later on July 11th.  On this occasion she came out on the right side of the photo with a neck to spare over the fast finishing 2nd.  She jumped out smartly, made all the running and when challenged from two furlongs out stuck to the task and was not to be beaten.  She should win more races off this handicap mark.

Amber Hamur is a daughter of the Raven’s Pass mare Yellowhammer and is the third winner from four runners.  She has a Wootton Bassett half brother who goes to the Tattersalls Book Two Sale in October.
Palm Reader

4th July 2026

Palm Reader (Blue Point X Angel Palm) was our first 2YO winner in 2026.  With one of the fastest times at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale on May 22nd, the colt was purchased by Declan Carroll Racing for €160,000.  Declan did not waste any time and entered him for the EBF Maiden Stakes at his nearby Beverley Racecourse on July 4th.  His speed in the breeze was well known and he went to post as the 5/2 favourite.  Leading from the stalls, he was never headed and came home two lengths ahead of the 2nd with a further five lengths back to 3rd.  Though it was an easy victory the papers suggested that he would learn a lot from the race and has a bright future.

Palm Reader’s dam, Angel Palm is out of the Juddmonte mare Palmette who is a full sister to the sire Showcasing and is also closely related to the sire Camacho.  Angel Palm had wins in Ireland and in the USA and was also 2nd in the Ricks Memorial Stakes there.  She has a Pinatubo yearling filly which will be sold at the Goffs Orby and a Blue Point foal – a full brother to Palm Reader.  We would like to wish the owners, Unique Retreats, P Morrall and J Blackburn every success with Palm Reader and to thank Declan Carroll for providing Croom House with its first 2YO winner in 2026.
Focaccia

3rd July 2026

Focaccia (Kodiac X Taste the Salt) did not race as a 2YO and has chosen to race in maiden company since her racecourse debut in April.  With a win and two placed efforts she may now revert to handicaps or follow her full brother who had three wins and two placed efforts from seven starts in the USA.  In the Landy Muldoon maiden at Bellewstown on Friday the filly claimed a very easy victory, leading from the stalls and pulling right away from the field in the final furlong.  She has a lot of speed and seems best suited to the minimum trip, as she dd not see out a 6f maiden at the Curragh seven days earlier.

Focaccia is the fourth winner from four runners out of the mare Taste the Salt.  A sister by Blue Point will sell at the Goffs Orby in September.

January - July

Winners 2026

Though there were many wins by horses bred and raised at Croom House, since the flat season opened in April, we did not write each one up individually.  Over the past weeks we have seen the 2YO’s, we sold as yearlings last year, get started and we should have exciting months ahead.  The older horses performance during the past months kept the flag flying and I thought we should give a mention to at least five.

Silver State

Silver State got his handicap mark as a 2YO and made no mistake when he got to the track as a 3YO this year.  His trainer Jack Channon has done a wonderful job getting four victories before June 1st and then finishing 2nd in the Class Two Lester Piggott Handicap at Epsom on Derby day.  He deserves some time off and with an official rating now of 90 the road ahead may be more difficult.

Geo

Geo changed trainer going to Jim Goldie in Scotland and has done his racing in the northern and Scottish tracks.  Running on five occasions between May 20th and June 25th he claimed one win and three placed efforts and at Hamilton on June 25th,  just got caught on the line losing by a nose.  He should win again in the months ahead.

Physique

Physique was purchased by Patsy Sheehan from Killarney in 2024 and continues to give of his best.  Placed twice in May at Beverley and at Yarmouth he went to Newmarket on June 19th to contest the Zyn Pole Handicap.  He ran out a convincing winner, he finished four lengths ahead of the 2nd with a further two lengths back to 3rd.  His total winnings amount to €135,000 and he is sure to add to this  in the months ahead even though his new official handicap rating is 86.

Carvahal

Carvahal was touched off in Limerick on 10th June and reappeared on the same track nine days later.  This time he had a comfortable two lengths victory on softer ground which he loves.  The long sunny days have given us firm ground so he may have to wait for suitable soft ground for his next run.

So Darn Right

So Darn Right needs a mention though his winnings have been at Nakayama and Tokyo in Japan.  Lightly raced his ten runs have resulted in four wins and two seconds, earning almost €400,000.  This was the first foal out of the Dark Angel mare Leafhopper.  Her next live foal by No Nay Never was born in 2025 and will be sold at the Tattersalls Book One Sale in October.  Leafhopper has a full brother colt foal on the ground and is in foal to No Nay Never.

 

Some of the yearlings we sold last year have had their first runs in late June giving us a winner and three placed horses.  We look forward to seeing them on the racecourse this month.