Quevega’s foal gets off to a winning start

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RECORD-BREAKING six-time Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega’s first foal made a winning debut this week.

The four-year-old filly by Beat Hollow has the same connections as the all-time great, trainer Willie Mullins and owners the Hammer And Trowel syndicate.

Named Princess Vega, she won a two-mile maiden hurdle at Tramore, sponsored by Betvictor, by seven-anda-half lengths.

She sprinted clear after the final flight to put distance between her and the pack.

Mullins described his charge as ‘stronger than she looks’ and added: “I’m delighted to get Quevega’s breeding career off to a 100 per cent start.”

Between 2009 and 2014, Quevega won every renewal of the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at the Home of Jump Racing’s flagship fixture.

Her six victories, one more than Golden Miller’s five consecutive Gold Cups in the 1930s, made history and earned her a place in the track’s Hall of Fame.

Ruby Walsh was in the saddle on each occasion and he will surely be joining the star hurdler after his retirement at the Punchestown Festival.

The debut of Quevega’s offspring came almost a year to the day after she was foaled at the Irish National Stud in 2015.

A year later, she was purchased by Keatingstown Bloodstock for €50,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale.

Quevega is the best performer in her family and she has also passed on her genes to a filly and colt by Coolmore’s Walk In The Park.

The French-bred won 16 races from 24 starts, including four World Series Hurdles at Punchestown, but she suffered a shock defeat in her quest for five in 2014.

She was then retired from racing to start her new career as a broodmare.