From Buenos Aires to The Curragh, a Long Journey with Argentine Roots

The Victory of Benvenuto Cellini in the Irish Derby (G1) and a Special Link to the Unforgettable Haras Ojo de Agua

By Carlo Zuccoli

We can talk and write about Benvenuto Cellini (IRE) (ch. c. 2023 Frankel – Newspaperofrecord (Lope De vega) who, on Sunday June 28th 2026, at The Curragh, won the Dubai Duty Fre Irish Derby in great style, for the simple reason that many years ago a certain Senor Pedro Luro, precisely in 1868, bought the Haras Ojo de Agua from the Argentine Rural Society.

The name Ojo de Agua, meaning “the eye of the water”, was based on the natural spring on the property that produced 1,800,000 liters of water per day.

In 1878 several Thoroughbred mares were imported from England to start the farm’s breeding program.

Stallions like Gary Hermit (GB) (b. c. 1883 Hermit), who in 1887 won the Royal Hunt Cup and in 1888 the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (twelve females won the Pellegrini until 2020 and five of those were descendants from Gay Hermit) and Cyllene (GB) (ch. c. 1895 Bona Vista), who won the English 2000 Guineas as well as the Gold Cup, becoming Champion Sire in Great Britain and in Argentina, stood at the Haras Ojo de Agua.

Benvenuto Cellini was bred by Coolmore & White Birch Stud (Mr. Peter Brant) and he is owned by Mr. Brant himself, by Mrs. John Magnier, by Mr. Michael Tabor and by Mr. Derrick Smith.

And, as I stated at the beginning of this piece, the horse exists because of the Haras Ojo de Agua.

Wait a minute and I will explain you why.

Time goes by very quickly (you remember the song sung by Sam in the movie Casablanca upon request of Ingrid Bergman alias Ilsa Laszlo, don’t you?) so, very likley, Mr. John Magnier, nowadays, is one of the very few people who witnessed a couple of stallions who, quite successfully, stood at Coolmore, Thatch (USA) (b. c. 1970 Forli) and Thatching (IRE) (b. c. 1975 Thatch).

Thatch was a very good miler and he won the Sussex Stakes, Gr-1, but if somebody dared to spit on a track before a race the horse would have been scratched!!!

Forli (ARG) (ch. c. 1963 Aristophanes), who won the Jockey Club, Gr-1, the Montevideo, Gr-1, the Polla de Potrillos, Gr-1, the Nacional, Gr-1 and the Carlos Pellegrini, was bred by the Haras Ojo de Agua.

Forli, at a certain time, was bought for USD $ 960,000 by Mr. Arthus Hancock of Claiborne Farm and stood there successfully.

Believe it or not, Mr. Peter Brant is strictly connected to Claiborn Farm since the days he discovered Mr. Prospector (USA) (b. c. 1970 Raise A Native) in Florida , moving him to Kentucky, making him one the pillars of the modern era of the Thoroughbred.

Let’s go back to Benvenuto Cellini right now surfing deeply his pedigree.

His 15th dam is Ante Diem (GB) (b. b. 1877 Musket), who was bought by Senor Santiago Luro, Pedro’s Luro son, who took over the reins of the stud when his father died.

At least 19 Classic winners in Argentina belong to Ante Diem’s family, notably Mineral (ARG) (b. c. 1928 Leteo), who won the Triple Crown there.

Going down to Benvenuto Cellini’s 8th dam, Marcinha (ARG) (b. f. 1962 Canthare), we can found Argentinian blood only.

His 4th dam, Simply Times (USA) (b. f. 1994 Dodge) was bought by Times Of Wigan at the Fasig – Tipton, Kentucky Fall Mixed Sales, for USD $ 6,000 (please note that Mr. Brant, years ago, was the owner of Fasig Tipton: unbelievable connections everybody can find studying pedigrees).

Simply Times produced several Stakes Winners.

His 2nd dam, Sunday Times (GB) (b. f. 2009 Holy Roma Emperor), also bred by Times Of Wigan, won the Sceptre Stakes, Gr-3, finishing second in the Cheveley Park Stakes, Gr-1: she was bought as a yearling at the Tattersalls Sales in October 2010 for Guineas 10,000 and was trained, at Newmarket, by Mr. Peter Chapple – Hyam.

Of course, she is the dam of Newspaperofrecord (IRE) (b. f. 2016 Lope De Vega), a multiple Group 1 winner in America.

She was bought as a yearling, for Guineas 200,000, by Mr. Mike Ryan, at the Tattersalls Sales for and on behalf of Klaravich Styables and was trained by Mr. Chad Brown.

Mr. Brant bought her privately: he sent her for the years 2021, 2022, 2023 to Frankel (GB) (b. c. 2012 Galileo) and then everybody knows what happened.

I have to say that I really enjoyed researching into Benvenuto Cellini’s pedigree, finding good stories, good horsemen and remembering my several visits to Coolmore even when Thatch and Thatching were standing there.

Let’s hope that Benvenuto Cellini will win a Group 1 over a mile and a quarter becoming very attractive for the breeders worlwide.

He deserves to achieve that result.

He has white eyes: the legend says that descendants from Lyphard (USA) (b. c. 1969 Northern Dancer) have white eyes, other people say that white eyes are not in the genes of a horse.

Anyway no traces of Lyphard in Benevenuto Cellini’s pedigree, but he goes very fast with a good action which covers a lot of ground.