3 minute read

The Charlie Hills-trained Iberian impressed with a comfortable debut victory at Newbury on Thursday and is likely to head to the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in July.

Purchased for 200,000 guineas by Charlie Hills at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sales in 2022, the Lope De Vega colt is the first raced foal out of Listed winner Bella Estrella. Trained by Dermot Weld, Bella Estrella is a full-sister to Group 3 St Simon Stakes heroine High Heeled, who produced Black Type performer Pabouche with her second foal.

Ridden by Rossa Ryan, Iberian produced a professional performance in the 6½f Class 4 Welcome To The BV Group Novice Stakes, travelling strong throughout the race. He took the lead with two furlongs to go and was asked to quicken by Ryan, drawing clear to win by one-and-three-quarter lengths to Judge Frank in second and Overlooked back in third.

"He's a nice horse. He is having a good old blow and will come on a good bit for the run," said trainer Charlie Hills.

"It had just got to the stage where I just wanted to get a run into him, really. He has always worked really nicely at home and he's going to learn a lot more today than keeping him at home.

"He is an exciting horse, hopefully. My immediate thought was something like the Superlative Stakes, but it is a long season. He travelled really nicely in the race, but probably idled a bit in front at the end, but he was having a good blow, so might have got a bit tired.

"Superlative, Dewhurst… it's a nice thought if it maps out like that, isn't it?"

The colt is also eligible and holds an entry for the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster in September.