Aidan O'Brien's crop of juveniles had looked short of the usual standard up to Saturday, but five minutes of action across Newmarket and The Curragh changed the conversation with the hugely exciting Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) doing his bit for Ballydoyle in the G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. Not seen since winning in style on debut in a conditions event over this mile trip at Killarney July 14, the imposing Westerberg-Coolmore representative was the subject of heavy support into 8-13 favouritism for this prize Aidan O'Brien had already won an astounding 20 times. Racing in a detached last early with Seamie Heffernan downing anchor, the bay was green initially when switched wide to challenge in the straight but accelerated when the whip was shown to seize the advantage a furlong from home and surge to an impressive 4 3/4-length success from Manu Et Corde (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Speaking from Newmarket, Aidan O'Brien simply said, “We've always thought the world of that horse.”
When it comes to the Beresford, it is now customary that a future star is on display. While in the 1980s, the likes of Assert (Ire) and Sadler's Wells prevailed, it was not until the early 2000s that it became a more consistent marker of excellence. After Alamshar (Ire), Azamour (Ire), Sea the Stars (Ire) and St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) came Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and although the opposition here might not have been top-class, there is reason to believe that Luxembourg could fit into that category with the potent turn of foot he displayed. Incredibly, none of the previous 20 winners from the current set-up at Ballydoyle went on to win the G1 Epsom Derby and only Capri (Ire) and Saxon Warrior were Classic winners thereafter, so Luxembourg's immediate short odds quoted for the blue riband seem premature even allowing for the impression he created.
Seamie Heffernan has been around long enough to know what a top prospect feels like and his enthusiasm was as noteworthy as it was unsurprising. “He's very smart at home and he's proven it twice now. I was very impressed–very talented, very smooth,” he said. “The most impressive thing about him is he knows he's good and he doesn't show it off. He doesn't show you until you press the button and say 'give us a look'. When you have that turn of foot a mile is well within his comfort zone. His dad was a good staying horse that had the pace and class to win a Guineas. If Aidan wants to run him in the Guineas he'll change his galloping procedures and if he's targeting the Derby he'll go a different route. The turn of foot he showed me today was pretty exciting. I'm not sure what he's going to be targeted at, but he couldn't have done that any easier.”
Luxembourg's dam Attire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) raced over seven furlongs and a mile and has also produced the 10-furlong G2 Mooresbridge S. winner Leo de Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Sense of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) who was placed in the G3 Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial and G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack Memorial S. The second dam Asnieres (Spend a Buck) is a half-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero Arcangues (Sagace {Fr}) who produced the versatile Forgotten Voice (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). He had the speed to win the Royal Hunt Cup over a mile and the stamina to add the 12-furlong G3 Glorious S. to his tally before finishing third in the two-mile Listed Esher S. during a spell when he also raced over hurdles.
Attire, whose yearling full-brother to Luxembourg sells during Wednesday's session of the Goffs Orby, is also kin to the G3 Prix de Flore winner Australie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) who produced the Listed Carlingford S. winner and G3 Diamond S.-placed Hawke (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and the Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr scorer Mireille (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}). Also the second dam of the Listed Criterium de Lyon scorer and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon runner-up Private Jet (Fr) (Aussie Rules) and the Listed Prix Marchand d'Or winner and G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis second Princedargent (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), the relative of the distinguished G1 Prix de Diane heroine Aqarelliste (Fr) (Danehill) visited Camelot again last year and has a filly foal as a result.
Saturday, The Curragh, Ireland
ALAN SMURFIT MEMORIAL BERESFORD S.-G2, €112,000, Curragh, 9-25, 2yo, 8fT, 1:40.88, gd.
1–LUXEMBOURG (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Attire (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Asnieres, by Spend a Buck
3rd Dam: Albertine (Fr), by Irish River (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (150,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamie Heffernan. €60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $91,171. *1/2 to Leo de Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}), GSW-Ire, $150,238. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Manu Et Corde (Ire), 131, c, 2, Teofilo (Ire)–Tiffilia (Ire), by Macho Uno. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €20,000.
3–Tuwaiq (Ire), 131, c, 2, Elzaam (Aus)–Nutshell (GB), by Dubai Destination. (€8,000 RNA Ylg '20 GOFOCT). O-Dr Ali Al Mutairi; B-BHL (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. €10,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, NO, HF. Odds: 0.62, 14.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Swan Bay (Ire), Chicago Soldier (Ire). Scratched: Piz Badile (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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