Fit pupils and pedigree enthusiasts have now learned that it is essential to watch out for juveniles unleashed by Ireland’s most powerful stables at the Galway Festival.

The two evening opening meetings of the week-long extravaganza were graced by future sports stars, taking their first steps on the road to glory.

In 2003, Dermot Weld unveiled a winner of the Budweiser Irish Derby (G1) in Galway when gray swallow who would defeat the hero of Vodafone Epsom Derby (G1) northern light at the Curragh the following year, won the colts’ juvenile maiden. In recent years there have been subsequent group winners such as the hero of Weld’s Jersey Stakes (G3) Mustajeeb and Aidan O’Brien innisfree who finished the 2019 season successfully in the Beresford Stakes (G2).

The field assembled for this year’s renewal of the Claregalwayhotel.ie Irish EBF Maiden could very well contain another Classic or Royal Ascot winner if their pedigrees are up to snuff.

It is doubtful that quality road has already spawned plenty of Galway runners, but on Monday it could have a Ballybrit winner to accompany its champions if Cairo made successful debuts for Ballydoyle and Coolmore. The colt is one of three home-bred juvenile sons of the Lane’s End Farm quadruple Year 1 winner entered in training for Coolmore Partners.

Quality Road is the sire of 14 top individual winners, including the winner of the Saudi Arabian Cup (G1) this season emblem road and winner of the New York Stakes (G1) Bleecker Street .

Cairo holds entries in the Futurity Stakes (G2) and the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (G1). He is the third foal of Naas winner 2016 Coolmore Stud EBF Sprint Stakes Cuff a full sister Galileo to the Group 3 winner Wonderfully list winner Blessed and the stallion of the first season who placed several times in group 1 Gustav Klimt .

Cuff is also a half-sister to the 2011 Gran Criterium (G1) winner Nayarra their mother Massarra being a full sister to Danehill Kodiac and half-sister of invincible spirit and winner of group 3 Acts of Grace who is the second dam of the multiple Group 1 winner Mishriff brilliant Rafha.

Johnny Murtagh is no stranger to Galway success and runs Malacana son of Raven pass who fetched €50,000 (US$58,418) at the 2021 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale when he was bought by Bobby O’Ryan of Oghill House Stud.

Barney Roy wins Jebel Hatta at Meydan Racecourse in 2020

Malacanne is a half-brother of Alina, the mother of Barney Roy whose four Group 1 successes included the St. James’s Palace Stakes (G1) of 2017. They stemmed from Ridgewood Pearl Stakes (G3) in 2007 and Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes (G3) winner of 2008 Cheyenne Star who is a half-sister Mujahid to the mother of the globetrotting Group 1 winner Gordon Lord Byron .

The other notable newcomer is Noel Meade, trained Australian pearla purchase of €72,000 (US$75,322) at this year’s Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up sale.

He comes from Golden Pearl, a Dream Oasis full sister of the winner of the Prix des Lilas Steph pearly and a three-part sister to Paddy Twomey’s 2022 Lanwades Stud Ridgewood Pearl Stakes (G2) and 2021 Coolmore America Justify Matron Stakes (G1) and Qatar Prix de la Forêt (G1) winner Pearls galore .