Promising young stayer Through Irish Eyes made his maiden stakes success in the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on Anzac Day a touch harder than it needed to be.
When Mark Zahra drove the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained son of Tavistock to the lead halfway down the Flemington straight it looked likely he would put a space on the field. Once clear he began to wander before Zahra succeeded in getting his mind back on the job.
Once balanced back up, Through Irish Eyes defeated the Sacred Falls filly Salto Angel by a length with the Tavistock gelding Favreau a head back in third in what was a Karaka trifecta.
A $150,000 purchase by Darren Weir Racing out of the Henley Park draft at the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, Through Irish Eyes advanced his record to two wins, a second and two thirds from six starts with earnings of $176,700.
“He’s just a really, really nice staying horse, still learning his craft,” Eustice said.
“He had a proper wander around when he hit the front but when the penny drops, he is going to continue to progress with racing.
“He is a big dummy. He’s had a pretty tough life, actually, as a young horse. He’s lucky to be alive and racing. There’s a great team behind this horse as well.
“This horse will push on and we’ll see how far he gets. Whether he goes to Queensland or gives Adelaide a miss, we’ll see how he comes through. If he’s going back to a mile-and-a-half he might need some freshening up.”
Zahra said a drop back in distance would not be a problem.
“I think going back from 2800 metres to 2500 isn’t a big deal. He’s fit and he’s in form, he’s racing well, so I think you’d have to have a throw at the Derby, for sure,” Zahra said.
Bred and part-owned by Jonathon Munz, Through Irish Eyes is a half-brother to the stakes-placed Anchor Bid (High Chaparral) and the very talented Snitzel gelding Orcein.
Their dam Zapurple (Zabeel) won the Group III SAJC South Australia Fillies Classic and was fourth in the Group 1 SAJC Schweppes Oaks and is a daughter of the Listed VRC Let's Elope Stakes winner and Group II VRC Empire Rose Stakes runner-up Purple Groove (Rhythm).
O'Brien Thoroughbreds purchased a brother to Through Irish Eyes for $100,000 at Karaka in 2020. Named Tyrian Purple, the son of Tavistock is the final foal of Zapurple who died in 2018.
Through Irish Eyes becomes the 28th stakes-winner for Tavistock and the ninth stakes-winner bred on the Tavistock – Zabeel cross. That nick is responsible for the Derby winners Werther, Tarzino, and Johnny Get Angry and the Oaks winner Toffee Tongue.
