Triple Crown winning sire Justify showed his versatility at Royal Ascot overnight with his 4YO son Scandinavia taking the Group I Royal Ascot Gold Cup (2m4f), while his two year-olds colts Nola Soul and On Just Terms filled the quinella in the Listed Chesham Stakes (7f).
Read here about Scandinavia, who is now a triple G1 winner.
Trained by Fozzie Stack, Nola Soul was having his second race start following a debut win at Leopardstown last month when he beat King of Cloughan, who came out and won the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at royal Ascot on Wednesday.
Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, Nola Soul go to the front at the furlong and held off a late charge from the Australian owned first starter On Just Terms, who powered home for second beaten half a length.
Trained by Joseph O’Brien, On Just Terms runs for Gollan Racing/ First Light Racing/ Taylor, so you can’t help thinking his future one day might lie in Australia.
“Nola Soul is a horse we've always liked, a big, powerful galloper who can go fast for a long time and stays really well. We were very hopeful of a good run - you just hope they show up on the day, whether you win, finish third, fourth... whatever,” said Fozzie Stack.
“He's a January foal, a big fella. I'd say he'd have no problem getting a mile and a quarter in time. I'd hope he might turn up in a good race at the end of the year.”
Purchased for $220,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November Sale as a weanling, Nola Soul runs for US breeder Craig Bernick (Glen Hill Farm) and has two wins in as many starts.
Nola Soul is the second winner from Sing Me Home, a half-sister by Muhaarar to stakes-placed Favorite Memory from the family of Group I winners Stay Thirsty, Tamarkuz and Without Parole.
He is the 62nd stakes-winner for Justify, who runs at 10% SW to runner and 64% winner to runner.
Justify has two sons on the Coolmore roster in Australia this spring with 2024 Champion European 3YO Colt and Horse of the Year, City of Troy standing at a fee of $49,500, while Storm Boy is priced more affordably at $16,500.
Both young stallions will have their first Australian foals on the ground later this year.
