The quality and value available at the Irish yearling sales each year was again demonstrated to great effect at Deauville On Sunday when THE WOW SIGNAL (IRE) won the Group 1 Darley Prix Morny. A first top level flat success for trainer John Quinn, the winner was a €13,000 purchase at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale by Eddie O’Leary. The son of Starspangledbanner was then spotted by trainer’s son Sean at the breeze ups where he was bought by the Quinn's for £50,000. Following his impressive debut success he was recommended to Al Shaqab Racing by Richard Knight and that move paid off for Sheikh Joaan Al Thani and his team as they now have a potential stallion prospect on their hands.

It was a marvellous result for John Quinn who has now trained both a Group 1 winner on the flat and a Grade 1 winner over jumps and he commented about the Tommy Stack bred winner; “At halfway I was quite worried, but once he got on terms with the leaders I always thought he had a chance because he has so much class and is so tough. We can run him over six, but he really needs seven or a mile.”

So far this season two Group 1 races for 2yo’s have been run in Europe and both have been won by Irish bred horses purchased at the Irish yearling sales last year. The Wow Signal (IRE), pictured above winning at Royal Ascot, became the second of these following recent Phoenix Stakes winner and Goffs Orby graduate Dick Whittington (IRE). Tattersalls Ireland will kick off the yearling sales season in Ireland with their three day sale beginning September 23.