Owner Marc Chan's foray into breeding could reap the ultimate reward June 29 when his first homebred Green Impact bids for classic glory in the Irish Derby (G1).
The Jessica Harrington-trained colt was among the top juveniles in Ireland last year, landing two of his three starts, with both successes coming at Leopardstown and against Delacroix in his maiden and in the Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2).
He kicked off his 3-year-old campaign in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, coming home in sixth under Shane Foley, and got back into the winner's enclosure last time in the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown, beating Currawood by half a length to justify favoritism.
He is an 8-1 chance to give Harrington her first Irish Derby win. Favored is Epsom Derby (G1) hero Lambourn for trainer Aidan O'Brien, who has been installed as the 4-5 favorite.
Chan, whose purple and yellow silks are familiar on the track in Ireland and Britain through the exploits of the likes of Angel Bleu, Kinross, Starzintheireyes, and Bold Discovery, is also responsible for the Ralph Beckett-trained Sir Dinadan, who was last seen finishing runner-up to subsequent King Edward VII winner and stablemate Amiloc in the listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood.
Chan's racing manager Jamie McCalmont said: "Green Impact is the first horse Marc Chan ever bred. He bought the mare when she was carrying Green Impact. In the Guineas, he maybe didn't handle the track all that well and the ground didn't really suit him, but we were very pleased with his win at Leopardstown last time.
"Sir Dinadan's form from Goodwood has worked out well. We dodged Ascot last week as we thought the ground was too firm. He hasn't got many options but he's in good form and we're happy to go to the Curragh."
Green Impact will be running over a mile and a half for the first time but there is encouragement from his pedigree, being by Wootton Bassett out of a Galileo mare who stayed a mile and five furlongs.
He was born and raised at Harry McCalmont's Norelands Stud in County Kilkenny, as was Sir Dinadan, and Chan elected to buy Green Impact's dam Emerald Green in November 2021, just a few months after Galileo's death.
Jamie McCalmont added: "When you take the various factors into account and the way the form of the race has worked out, it wasn't a bad run from Green Impact in the Guineas, especially as he wants ten furlongs-plus.
"It will be interesting to see him step up to a mile and a half. Wootton Bassett sired a Queen's Vase winner (Carmers) last week and is one of the most versatile stallions I've seen in my lifetime. He's proven this year he can get a horse over any distance.
"A lot of credit goes to Marc as Galileo had just passed when he bought the dam and he was very keen to have a Galileo mare."
