Highclere Stud's Cable Bay Gets First Stakes Winner

Cable Bay's first crop have already begun with a spark, and Highclere Stud's stallion claimed his first stakes winner July 5 with a performance from Liberty Beach at Sandown that had trainer John Quinn excited.

There had already been 14 wins from 10 Cable Bay individuals across Britain, Ireland, and Italy, with Philip Wilkins homebreds responsible for two of them in a Redcar novice and the Hilary Needler at Beverley.

From an unfavorably low draw in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot in her previous effort, Liberty Beach ran commendably to finish fourth.

Ridden prominently by Jason Hart in the Chasemore Farm Dragon Stakes, the 9-4 favorite moved into another gear entirely inside the final furlong and came three-quarters of a length clear of her rivals.

"From Ascot to today, I've been very happy with her—just ticked her over, but she has a very good mind, and, as you saw today, she's got electrical speed," Quinn told Racing TV. "Her demeanor was good, and that's her. It was very impressive to do what she did."

Group race assignments are now ahead for a filly bred from Wilkins' Avonbridge mare Flirtinaskirt, a half sister to Salisbury group 3 winner La Rioja.

"I'll certainly put her in the Lowther (G2) because if she can get six (furlongs), and she can do that … there we are," Quinn said. "She's in the (Prix Robert) Papin (G2) and she's a real 2-year-old. As everybody knows, when a horse is willing and gives you what she's giving us, of course we're thinking about next year. But we'll think about that down the line."

Dual group winner Cable Bay has been standing at a fee of £6,500 (US$8,176) this year.