Saturday’s G2 Railway S. had shown that quality juveniles can come from anywhere and 24 hours later the point was hammered home by the Bellewstown maiden winner Aloha Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in The Curragh’s G2 Airlie Stud S. Content to wait in behind as the 10-11 favourite Frenetic (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and the G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies’ Sprint S. winner Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) squared up in front, Chris Hayes who had also partnered the shock Railway winner Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) was in the right place as the race unfolded. Bringing the 33-1 shot to bear on the softened long-time leader in the last half a furlong, Aloha Star gave generously as Frenetic dug deep and was able to shade it by a head, with 1 3/4 lengths back to a spent Mother Earth in third.
This renewal was weakened to an extent by the withdrawal of TDN Rising Star More Beautiful (War Front) and of the useful Sussex Garden (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) due to the ground, but the Listed First Flyer S. winner Frenetic was always the one to aim at and little can be taken away from the winner. She had been too free when eighth behind More Beautiful in a five-furlong maiden on debut at Naas June 8 and improved when third again over that trip next time at Tipperary 11 days later. Kept to five for her third outing at Bellewstown July 2, she confirmed the earlier impression that she needed further despite managing to shed her maiden tag on a card that also witnessed a TDN Rising Star performance from Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}).
“We were disappointed when she got beaten first time out at Naas, but she’s too generous sometimes and ran very free,” Hayes explained. “The lad who rides her out at home, Eddie Cronin, has done a great job and has kept her nice and settled. She probably needed the run at Tipperary, as we backed right off her. The race went to plan today. She was a filly always crying out for that trip and hopefully she will improve. They went quick, but it felt like a piece of work to me because I was able to tow in off them and let the two boys go at it. I had one crack at them. I thought I was probably there 50 yards too soon, but she’s tough.”
Frenetic’s trainer Ger Lyons was in no doubt that the runner-up remains a top prospect and said, “No disrespect to the winner, but she picked our pocket. We were back up again after the line and she is naturally fast, so we’ll roll the dice and have a look at the [G1] Nunthorpe [at York]. I’ve offered that ride to Chris Hayes, as he’s as good a lightweight as there is. Subject to ground conditions, I’d like to have a go at that. She is so honest, you can’t give her an easy time so we’ll concentrate on five so as not to blunt her speed.”
Aloha Star is another winner of one of the weekend’s major juvenile races who looks capable of stretching out on pedigree. Her unraced dam Zain Art (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}) is a half-sister to the triple listed scorer and multiple group-placed 10-furlong performer Battalion (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}), while the family also features the GII Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup S. winner and GI Eddie Read H.-placed Silent Name (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), the young sire Galiway (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and the G3 Prix Noailles scorer and G1 Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Slalom (Fr) (Intello {Ger}). Also connected to the G2 Prix du Muguet-winning sire Gold Away (Ire), Zain Art’s yearling colt is by Mastercraftsman (Ire).
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
AIRLIE STUD S.-G2, €80,000, Curragh, 7-19, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:13.59, g/y.
1–ALOHA STAR (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Zain Art (Ire), by Excellent Art (GB)
2nd Dam: Zigarra (GB), by Halling
3rd Dam: Danzigaway, by Danehill
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€42,000 Wlg ’18 GOFNOV; €67,000 Ylg ’19 TIRSEP). O-D Keoghan & Partners Partnership; B-Patrick Beirne Jr (IRE); T-Fozzy Stack; J-Chris Hayes. €48,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $65,867. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Frenetic (Ire), 128, f, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Moojha, by Forest Wildcat. (170,000gns Ylg ’19 TATOCT). O-SBA Racing Ltd; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. €16,000.
3–Mother Earth (Ire), 128, f, 2, Zoffany (Ire)–Many Colours (GB), by Green Desert. (€150,000 Ylg ’19 GOFOR). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €8,000.
Margins: HD, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 33.00, 0.91, 1.00.
Also Ran: Inner Beauty (Ire). Scratched: More Beautiful, Sussex Garden (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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