Homebred Blenheim Warrior a brave winner at Salisbury

Blenheim Warrior became the latest homebred to carry our colours to victory when successful for Richard Hughes at Salisbury on Tuesday. In the process, he also became Richard’s first winner as a trainer at Salisbury.

Blenheim Warrior, a four-year-old Galileo colt out of Crystal Swan, has been given plenty of time to develop and showed signs of rewarding that patient approach when third on his handicap debut at Newbury in May. Sent off the 10/11 favourite at Salisbury off the back of that effort, he was forced to take up the running a long way out under Andrea Atzeni and showed a brave attitude to repel all challengers.

Blenheim Warrior is the second foal out of Crystal Swan, a winning daughter of Dalakhani purchased by Tony Nerses for 260,000gns at the 2009 Tattersalls December Sale.

She is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Grande Melody and out of an unraced sister to Fillies’ Mile heroine Crystal Music. Further back, it is the famous Jim Joel family of Derby winner Royal Palace and 1,000 Guineas winner Fairy Footsteps.

Crystal Swan

Crystal Swan has a two-year-old by Authorized named War Drums with Luca Cumani, a yearling filly by Intello and a colt foal by Mastercraftsman. She returned to Authorized this year.

BDS-breds have enjoyed a purple patch of late thanks to Decorated Knight, who carried our colours to victory in the Festival Stakes at Goodwood last month before running a close second in Friday’s Diomed Stakes, two-time winner Baadi and Corinthian, the pleasing winner of his debut at Haydock for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing.