Cairn Rouge Stakes goes to Red Letter

Three-year-old homebred Frankel filly Red Letter earned her first stakes win in the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes at Killarney yesterday.

Taken from the Thoroughbred News, 17th July 2025:

One of the favourites for the 1000 Guineas, Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Red Letter (Frankel) is being slowly built back up by Ger Lyons and his patience paid off on 16th July as the talented filly captured the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes. Denied by her classy peer Barnavara in Navan=s
Listed Kooyonga Stakes last month, the 8-11 favourite had to work again for Colin Keane but mastered Fiery Lucy close home to score by half a length in the mile feature.

"She's a filly we've always thought a lot of and I'd say she bumped into one last time," Keane said. "This is the first time she's got an ease in the ground, which she appreciates. Up in trip, I'll think you'll see more improvement. They didn't go quick enough for me, as she's a filly that picks up and then lengthens."

Shane Lyons was on hand to give his verdict: "She has done it the hard way, she was drawn and caught wide and the first two pulled well clear of the third horse," he said. "She has got the job done today but when she fills into her frame, she'll be some horse next year. She has a championship cruising speed, which you need for future races, and Colin said if he had been beaten it was because they didn't go fast enough. We'll get home, speak to Colin and the family and make a proper plan."

Red Letter is the first foal out of the Listed-placed Red Impression (Dark Angel), whose family features the Gr.1 Prix de la Foret heroine Etoile Montante, her four-times Group and Graded-Stakes winner and stakes producer Starformer and fellow top-flight winners Country Grammer, Sightseek and Tates Creek. Her two-year-old colt Res Ipsa and yearling filly are also by Frankel, while she also a colt foal by Blue Point to follow.