Coming into the race off the back of solely a maiden success at The Curragh, the Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah owned colt Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett x Love On My Mind) jumped straight to the highest level and took an impressive success in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (Gr.1) at The Curragh on Sunday, September 11th.

One of the most prestigious contests in Europe for two-year-old’s, the National Stakes (Gr.1) at The Curragh has been won in recent years by horses such as Native Trail, Churchill and Gleneagles.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien, who bought Al Riffa, the talented colt took on five far more experienced rivals for the 1400m contest, worth €236,000 to the winner and is the only horse to run in Ireland in the silks of Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah to date.

Ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, Al Riffa was held up at the back of the field on only his third racecourse start. Coming with a strong run inside the final 300m, he joined the leaders and momentarily made a line of five across the track, before pulling clear to score by a length and a quarter over the Gr.3 winner Proud And Regal (Galileo) in second. A Gr.2 winner and Gr.1 placed, Shartash (Invincible Spirit).

Al Riffa remains entered in the Beresford Stakes (Gr.2) at The Curragh on September 24th and in the Futurity Trophy Stakes (Gr.1) at Doncaster on October 22nd

He is the first winning produce out of the unraced Love On My Mind (Galileo), who is out of the Listed winner Moments Of Joy (Darshaan). Moments Of Joy is also the dam of the dual Gr.3 winner Mizzou (Galileo), the Gr.3 placed Unity (Sadlers Wells) and the Gr.3 placed Eternal Bounty (Galileo).

Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club