Two horses, two G1 races, two breeds. And one colour

Getting the trip. It’s one thing every winning racehorse must do. Lippo de Carrere travelled from Qatar via the west of France to contest the UK Arabian Derby in the north of England. Fallen Angel‘s journey went from the Yorkshire moors to a green swathe west of Dublin.

Both travelled beautifully in their races, too – Lippo de Carrere pouncing late up that long, long Doncaster straight which saps the stamina of even the gamest stayer; while Fallen Angel brazened it out in front for many of the Leopardstown furlongs, snatching back victory when rivals massed at her collar.

Stunning sport across the breeds, both horses displaying the talent and tenacity that centuries of breeding have intended.

For the Alban de Mieulle-trained Lippo de Carrere, it was a first triumph at the elite level, brought with a perfectly timed run by Michael Barzalona to catch fellow Wathnan colour-bearer Moneer. Fallen Angel in the Matron Stakes, however, was adding a fourth G1 to her bulging cv – testament to a toughness nurtured and maintained by trainer Karl Burke and his Spigot Lodge team. The ride given her by Wathnan’s retained jockey James Doyle was as admirable as the filly’s performance: he tracked the early pace, seized the initiative early in the straight, and stoked her fires when others came at her.

The two horses each brought up seven Wathnan Group 1 wins for their breed: the old gold, peacock blue and red silks have now garnered 14 G1 wins in 30 months of international competition. They also united in adding yet more Wathnan glory for horses of their colouring: grey horses have now won nine of Wathnan’s 14 G1s, all the while accounting for less than 5% of the horse population.