Provides late Tweenhills Stud-based sire Harbour Watch with his second Group 1 winner
The William Muir and Chris Grassick-trained Pyledriver (4 c ex La Pye by Le Havre) scored a game victory in Friday’s Coronation Cup (Gr 1, 1m4f) at Epsom, becoming the second Group 1 winner for his late Tweenhills Stud-based sire Harbour Watch (Acclamation).
A winner of the King Edward VII Stakes (Gr 2, 1m4f) at Royal Ascot and Great Voltiger Stakes (Gr 2, 1m4f) at York as a three year old last season, Pyledriver was having his second start as a four-year-old and held on to score a neck victory over the William Haggas-trained favorite Al Aasy (Sea The Stars), with another seven lengths back to Japan (Galileo) in third.
The win provided Pyledriver’s trainer William Muir with his first victory at Group 1 level.
"This is what we do it for," Muir said. "I've been waiting 30 years for this and my partner Chris has only been training five minutes and he's already won one! I came here thinking we'd win.
"The plan has been in place all year: Jockey Club Cup, here, Hardwicke, King George. I think we'll consider the Arc for him too – why not?"
The victory was his fifth in 12 starts for the entire who is the only winner out of dual winning mare La Pyle (Le Havre). Pyledriver’s second dam is Lidana (King’s Best) who produced five winners including Group 1 winner Mont Ormel (Air Chief Marshal) who raced in Hong Kong as Helene Charisma as well as Group 3 winner Normandel (Le Havre). This is also the family of dual Group 1 winner and sire Linngari (Indian Ridge) and Thursday’s Glencairn Stakes (Listed, 1m) winner Magnanimous (Mehmas).
Bred by Knox & Wells Limited and R Devin, Pyledriver was unsold for 10,000gns when offered by Usk Valley Stud at the 2017 Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
Harbour Watch has sired ten stakes winners in total, with Waikuki his other Group 1 winner. He shuttled to Australia for two seasons in 2013 and 2014.
Pyledriver vs Al Aasy - what a tussle
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 4, 2021
G1 Coronation Cup
G2 King Edward VII Stakes
It's Group One glory for Martin Dwyer, William Muir & Chris Grassick as Pyledriver outbattles Al Aasy in a thriller at @EpsomRacecourse pic.twitter.com/yi0Y75fCVY
