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Alan Magee

Alan Magee

Pop Star upsets Yosemite Valley in Navan opener

Thu 31st Aug 2023, 14:10

Pop Star and Seamie Heffernan Pop Star and Seamie Heffernan
© Photo Healy Racing

Yosemite Valley was backed as if defeat was out of the question in the opening Simonstown Maiden at Navan but odds-on backers had their fingers burned as Pop Star made most to land this extended five-furlong event.

Both of the principals were making their belated seasonal debuts after showing plenty of promise in two outings last year and Yosemite Valley, a half-brother to Piz Badile and runner-up to Little Big Bear in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes last term, was punted from 8/11 overnight to go off a red-hot 1/3 favourite.

Pop Star was the only threat in the market at 100/30 and Seamie Heffernan gave the first-time-blinkered colt a straight forward ride.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Sioux Nation was asked to assert over a furlong out and kept on well to hold off the favourite by three-quarters of a length.

The pair pulled four and a half lengths clear of Rathbranchurch in third.

Heffernan said, "We thought a bit of him last year and he got a setback, he's missed a lot of time off the track.

“Pat Martin trained the mother (Knock Stars), she was very genuine and she won a heap of races.

“In the last 20 yards he was quite green but I was more than happy with him.

“He's quick, five or six furlongs. If he gets seven furlongs he's definitely a Stakes horse.”

Quotes by Gary Carson

1st
10/3
Tote €4.34 €1.10
2nd
0.75L
1/3Fav
€1.02
3rd
4.5L
7/1
€1.40
4th
4L
250/1
About Alan Magee
Alan has worked in the racing industry for well over 30 years including with the Sporting Life, Turform and Irish Racing Services. He took up his current role as Irish Racing Team Leader with the Press Association in 2013. He has a keen interest in most sports and plays golf.