Eagle Mountain Soars to Victory in Royal Whip
by Mary Schweitzer
Date Posted: 8/12/2007 9:33:34 PM
Last Updated: 8/15/2007 1:41:46 PM

Vodafone Derby (Eng-I) runner-up Eagle Mountain scored his first victory of the season when he captured the UAE Racing and Equestrian Federation Royal Whip Stakes (Ire-II) at The Curragh on August 12.

The victory in the Royal Whip served as a much-needed confidence booster for the son of Rock of Gibraltar.  The colt, who was a group II winner as a juvenile, finished third to stablemate Soldier of Fortune in the Budweiser Irish Derby (Ire-I) on July 1.  In his next start, the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-I), he clipped heels and stumbled badly, unseating Fallon in the process.

On this day, however, things went his way as he determinedly held off Alexander Tango to win by 2 1/2-lengths.  Alexander Tango finished six lengths in front of third place finisher, Decado.

Time for the 10 furlongs over the heavy going was 2:15.5.

Eagle Mountain is out of the Darshaan mare, Masskana.  He is a half-brother to champion filly Sulk (by Selkirk).  He is trained by Aidan O’Brien for owner Derrick Smith.

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