Many congratulations to Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, whose Spycatcher gained a deserved Pattern race breakthrough in the Group 3 Prix de Ris-Orangis at Deauville on Sunday.
The son of Vadamos, who was bred by us at Tally-Ho Stud and sold through our breeze-up arm at the 2020 Tattersalls Craven Sale, has been a fine servant for his owners and trainer Karl Burke, with five victories including the 2022 Listed Kachy Stakes among his 21 starts.
He tuned up for Sunday with a close second to Tiber Flow in the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes last week at Newcastle and showed the benefit of that run by powering three lengths clear of Batwan under Clifford Lee.
"I'm delighted he's got that win under his belt," said Clifford Lee. "He ran a brilliant race at Newcastle the other day when second and it's nice to get him in front this time. He jumped okay, I just tracked the leaders and he travelled really nicely into the race, and I was just picking them off from the two pole."
From the first crop of our former stallion Vadamos (pictured below), who now stands at Grange Stud, Spycatcher is the best of four winners to date out of Damask, who also once carried the Highclere colours. She is a daughter of former Tally-Ho stallion Red Clubs and a half-sister to Group 1-winning two-year-old Zafisio.
