The imposing son of Oasis Dream whose dam is a half-sister to star sprinter African Rose sold for 210,000gns at the breeze-ups before making a winning debut – by four lengths over a future Group winner – in early June.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, Native Trail carried the Godolphin blue to victory in the G2 Superlative Stakes at the July festival in his second start – just as Darley roster mate Dubawi">Dubawi had done – and followed the same path as the Champion sire to the G1 National Stakes at the Curragh.
He won that in dominating style, then followed up in the G1 Dewhurst to confirm his superiority over the rest of his generation. His time at Newmarket was faster than the Dewhursts of fellow undefeated Champion youngsters Pinatubo">Pinatubo, Frankel and Shamardal.
Native Trail finished the year as the highest rated unbeaten two-year-old colt not simply by Oasis Dream, nor just from the Green Desert line, but in male line descent from Danzig.
He tuned up for the Guineas with a bloodless win in the G3 Craven, and then started 5-4 favourite for the first Classic of the year. But his strong finishing run just failed to reel in stable companion Coroebus.
Native Trail made amends with a consummate performance in the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas, covering the mile quicker than Kingman, Paddington and Dubawi had done. He finished so full of running, he was stepped up to the mile-and-a-quarter of the G1 Eclipse for his next start. In a field entirely made up of G1 winners, Native Trail went down fighting, beaten a head and a neck by Champion three-year-old Vadeni and Mishriff, with Lord North, Bay Bridge and Alenquer all in his wake.
Sam Bullard, Darley's Director of Stallions, said at the time of his retirement, 'What a horse! He never failed to take the eye, and when you watch those big wins of his, across two demanding seasons, it's very impressive! We are privileged to be standing a Champion like him at Kildangan Stud. It's a while since our first Champion two-year-old who went on to win a Classic retired to stud at Kildangan: that horse was Shamardal, and who's to say Native Trail won't do just as well?'
Native Trail was extremely popular with breeders during his first season and is represented by 155 in-foal mares.
They include 65 Stakes performers or Stakes producers, including G1 winners Ventura Storm and Kalapour. He also covered the siblings of G1 winners Aqlaam, Charming Thought, Footstepsinthesand, Kalanisi, Kind Of Blue, Mischief Magic and Timepiece, plus seven daughters of G1 winners including Finsceal Beo.
Native Trail will stand the 2025 season at a fee of €16,000, Oct 1, SLF.
