Roly Poly became the 16th Grade/Group 1 winner for War Front with her easy score in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket in England. Racing for Coolmore, she was ridden to victory by Ryan Moore.
“She improved right through the spring and deserved to win a Group 1,” said Moore. “She was just touched off in the Cheveley Park last year and is just a very tough and very honest filly.”
In her previous two starts, Roly Poly had finished second to her stablemate Winter in both the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas (G1) and Coronation Stakes (G1).
As a juvenile, Roly Poly won the Grangecon Stud Stakes (G3) and Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (G2). She is out of the multiple Group 1-winning mare Misty For Me.
One day after Roly Poly’s victory in the Falmouth Stakes, her 2-year-old full brother, U S Navy Flag, finished second in the Arqana July Stakes (G2).
Then on Sunday, War Front’s son Spirit Of Valor impressed for the same connections by winning the Qatar Airways Minstrel Stakes (G2) at the Curragh in Ireland.
“He is obviously a very good horse,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “Six and seven furlongs on fast ground suit him well. Being by War Front, he likes nice ground, and the reason they seem to like nicer ground is because they are all such fast horses.”
Spirit Of Valor came into the Minstrel Stakes off of a second-place finish in the Jersey Stakes (G3) at Royal Ascot, where he was defeated by just a neck. He is out of the Grindstone mare Stone Hope, who has also produced multiple stakes winner Street Life.
War Front has 21 stakes horses to his credit this year, including additional G1 winner American Patriot. North America’s #1 sire of stakes winners in 2016, War Front stands for $250,000 at Claiborne.