South African connections enjoyed success at Tipperary in Ireland on Thursday afternoon when the talented Cheeky Wink outstayed her fourteen opponents on yielding ground to win the 2500m Tipperary Racecourse Handicap under Ben Coen.
Bred by the Kieswetter family’s County Tipperary-based Barnane Stud, and trained by Johnny Murtagh, Cheeky Wink beat Rock Of Ireland convincingly, despite running around slightly when hitting the front.
Cheeky Wink storms home under Ben Coen (Pic – Supplied)
Cheeky Wink, who is raced by Barnane Stud in partnership with Owen Heffer, have enjoyed extensive success in the UK, and Gr1 success over jumps in both Britain and Ireland – notably with triple Gr1 winner Il Etait Temps, who is declared to run in the Gr1 bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown on Saturday 26th April.
Talented Dynasty daughter Smiling Blue Eyes (Pic – Supplied)
The winner’s South African-bred dam Smiling Blue Eyes hails from a classic Ridgemont family and was lightly raced at home and in Dubai, after she won the 2016 Gr3 Fillies Mile, before her career peak success when overcoming an impossible draw of 16 out in the wilderness, to score an eyecatching victory in the 2017 Gr2 Gauteng Guineas.
A half-sister to the Jallad stallion Russian Sage, Smiling Blue Eyes is by Ridgemont’s iconic late stallion Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the five-time winning Badger Land mare, Sage Blue – who won from a mile to 2000m.
