Eternal Silence

Eternal Silence was beaten at a short price in the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden that opened proceedings at Leopardstown on Thursday evening, but she kept to her task well, and she shaped like a filly who would appreciate a greater test of stamina. She broke smartly and settled nicely initially just behind the leaders, but Billy Lee was able to steady things down once he got to the front on Bella Blue Eyes, and Eternal Silence was a little keen in behind in third place. She got a little out-paced when the leader quickened at the top of the home straight, but she stuck to her task well on the outside. She looked booked for third place as they raced inside the final furlong, but she went forward again on the run to the line, getting up just to snatch second place from Gypsy Woman, and getting to within a half a length of the winner.

Jessica Harrington’s filly was winless in three attempts last season, but two of those attempts were in Group races, the last of the three in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, and connections thought enough of her to allow her take her chance in the Irish 1000 Guineas on her debut this season. This did look like a good opportunity for her, but she was beaten by a progressive filly, who did well from a wide draw on her previous run, and who had the run of the race in front. As well as that, Eternal Silence is by War Front, but she is out of Princess Highway, a Ribblesdale Stakes winner, and a half-sister to Royal Diamond, a Long Distance Cup winner. Her breeding and her racing style suggest that she will do better now stepped up in trip, possibly to 10 furlongs or beyond.

Also, it may be largely irrelevant, but the handicapper dropped her by 5lb to a mark of 96, so she could be interesting in a handicap off that mark now, stepped up in trip, if connections decided to go down that route.
Leopardstown, 15^th June 2023