Qatar Racing’s Buckaroo gets off the mark at Galway

Declan McDonagh (left) rides Buckaroo to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden in Galway, Ireland, on Saturday. (Racing Post)

Sent off as a favourite for the seven-runner contest, the Qatar Racing Limited-owned Buckaroo proved the toughest when taking the Irish Stallion Fams EBF Maiden for two-year-olds at Galway on Saturday. It was the bay colt’s second start and he improved on his third-placed effort on debut at Killarney from three weeks ago. Buckaroo is trained by Joseph Patrick O’Brien and was ridden to success by Declan McDonagh. Trying the 1,700m trip for the first time, Buckaroo was quickly on the pace. He took a lead from his principal market rival Stone Age through the first few furlongs of the contest. On the turn for home, it was clear that little else was going to get involved and Buckaroo began to press the long-time leader Stone Age inside the final two furlongs. The pair battled for the advantage up the home straight, but Buckaroo always had the measure of his rival and stuck on resolutely to score by a neck at the line. Golden Beach looked like he would play an important role on leaving the back straight, but could never land a blow on the leading pair and finished six lengths back in third. Bred by the Roheryn Partnership, Buckaroo is by Coolmore stallion Fastnet Rock. His dam Roheryn was a Listed winner over 2,400m and was also placed at Group Two level. The second dam La Chunga won the Group Three Summer Stakes at York.