A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Trained by Jessica Harrigton and ridden by Shane Foley, Green Impact was having his second run back for this year following a sixth to Ruling Court in the Group I Newmarket 2000 Guineas.
Dropped back in grade for the Listed Glencairn Stakes (1m1f), Green Impact led for home and held off all challengers to draw clear for a half length win, his third from five starts.
“Nobody wanted to go on and Shane [Foley] said he was squeezing him along all the way,” said Jessica Harrington.
“He only dosses in front and when the other horse came to him it looked like he was going to go past him, but he keeps lengthening. All being well, he'll now go straight to the [G1] Irish Derby. Shane can't wait to see him run over a mile-and-a-half.
“I know he's by Wootton Bassett, but he's out of a Galileo mare, so you'd hope that he will stay. It's good ground out there with no yielding in it. That's ideal for him, but I think he can go on any ground.”
Bred and raced by Marc Chan, Green Impact is very closely related to another Group winner by Wootton Bassett in Angeal.
He is the first winner from placed Galileo mare Emerald Dream, a three-quarter sister to Group I winner Curvy, who is the dam of Angeal.
Wootton Bassett returns to Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $385,000.
