Now that the abnormally dry Spring has given way to an ongoing wet spell, Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh looks poised for John Oxley's Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) to re-impose herself on a division she had largely mastered by the end of 2020. Labelled a 'TDN Rising Star' on her impressive debut at Bellewstown in July, she remained unbeaten on ground softer than good thereafter, adding this track's G2 Debutante S. and Newmarket's G1 Fillies' Mile to her tally. Second to Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when the going was markedly livelier in both the G3 Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown and the G1 Moyglare Stud S. again at this venue on her other two starts, the Joseph O'Brien-trained bay was probably fortunate to sidestep a fast-ground G1 1000 Guineas due to an unsatisfactory scope and lines up a fresh filly. “Pretty Gorgeous is obviously one of our most exciting prospects for the season,” her trainer commented. “She just wasn't quite right prior to the 1000 Guineas, so we played it safe with her and didn't run. Given how firm the ground was, missing it might have been a blessing in disguise. We know from last year that she handles soft ground well and we've been very happy with her in the last couple of weeks. She looks in great order now and will hopefully produce a big effort. Her juvenile form entitles her to be right in the mix, so hopefully she runs a big one.”
As ever, Ballydoyle will have something to say on the matter with Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) bidding to provide her dam You'resothrilling (Storm Cat) with a third English or Irish Guineas winner. Having captured the G3 Irish 1000 Guineas Trial over a mile at Leopardstown last time May 9, the full-sister to Gleneagles (Ire) and Marvellous (Ire) is back on the soft-to-heavy surface on which she broke her maiden over seven furlongs here Mar. 21. “Like with most of ours this weekend, she'd much prefer better ground but we do at least know she's gone on it before, even though it was only a maiden,” Aidan O'Brien commented.
Successful in the seven-furlong G3 Athasi S. staged on testing ground here May 3, the O'Callaghans' No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) gets re-acquainted with Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) who she trailed when fourth in Deauville's G2 Prix du Calvados on very soft ground in August. The latter was third in the May 2 G1 1000 Guineas on ground that would have been a touch too fast and has done very little wrong throughout her career. No Speak Alexander's trainer Jessie Harrington said, “I'm not saying she will win, but she'll be in the shake-up.” Fev Rover's trainer Richard Fahey commented, “I've been preaching all winter that I want to get her on better ground and here we are running on heavy, but she has had experience of it so she'll handle it as well as most. I was keen to get her to The Curragh, because I just thought the track would suit her. We've been pleased with her since Newmarket–she's a pretty straightforward girl.”
Pulled out of Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Doreen Tabor's Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), who took the G2 Lowther S. on good-to-soft in August before encountering a quicker surface when runner-up in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket and third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, is a certain runner here. “It's the last Classic she can run in and she'll take her chance,” trainer Ken Condon said. “The 2-year-old career she put together means she deserves her chance in a Guineas. There are genuine concerns about the ground and, as a consequence, the trip is going to be in more focus. We've a good man riding her and she's drawn around fancied horses.”
Broome Looks For Clean Sweep
Also on the card is the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, where Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) flies the flag for Aidan O'Brien along with the G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the G1 Epsom Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Broome has rattled up a treble while his two stable companions limbered up on the home gallops, taking the Listed Devoy S. at Naas Mar. 28 and Apr. 17 G3 Alleged S. and May 3 G2 Mooresbridge S. here and his ability to handle this type of ground is already proven. “Broome lost his way last year,” Aidan O'Brien said. “He has had three trials in Ireland and I have been very happy with him in all of them. We always thought a mile and a half would suit him this year and he has only been a mile and quarter yet, but I am very happy with him. He won on soft ground earlier in the spring there and he seems to be in good form. The other two are just ready to start back. Serpentine is working very well. Ten furlongs is probably not ideal for either of them really, but they have to start somewhere.”
Moyglare Stud's dual G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) drops back almost half a mile having been an encouraging second on her seasonal bow in Leopardstown's Listed Saval Beg Levmoss S. May 14. Third behind Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when getting going too late in the delayed edition of this in July, the homebred comes into this in a better place at present and the much slower surface will only serve to aid her cause.
In the G3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule S., Fiona Carmichael's G1 Epsom Derby entry Taipan (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) escapes from the clutches of the current blue riband favourite Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) having finished third and fifth to that rival in Leopardstown's G3 Ballysax S. Apr. 11 and May 9 G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial respectively. Up in trip and back on testing ground that looks to suit is The Aga Khan's Erzindjan (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), having been a staying-on second taking on his elders in Leopardstown's G3 Amethyst S. at a mile May 9.
Classic Appetizers In Germany
Hoppegarten stage the G3 Derby-Trial and G2 Diana Trial, with the latter the stage for Gestut Gorlsdorf's promising Mercedes (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) who impressed on debut over this 10-furlongs trip here May 9. Out of the 2016 winner of this race, Meergorl (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), she hails from the family of last year's G1 Preis der Diana heroine Miss Yoda (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). She meets Manfred Anton Schmelzer's G3 Preis der Winterkonigin heroine Noble Heidi (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), who goes up in trip after disappointing on her return when fifth in the G3 Karin Baronin von Ullmann Schwarzgold-Rennen at a mile at Cologne May 2. In the Derby-Trial over the same mile-and-a-quarter trip, Gestut Hony-Hof's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten runner-up Sea of Sands (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) should be sharper for his comeback third in the G3 Bavarian Classic over this distance at Munich at the start of the month.
Derby Anchors Blockbuster Rome Card
The €633,600 G2 Derby Italiano headlines a six-stake card at Rome on Sunday, and with shippers from England, France and Germany taking on the locals, it is guaranteed to be an intriguing affair. Juan De Montalban (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Fabilis (GB) (Frankel {GB}), one-two in a 2000 metre Sandown handicap on Apr. 23, re-oppose with the former making his first start for owner Luigi Roveda and trainer Raffaele Biondi after being purchased privately from Mick and Janice Mariscotti from the yard of Andrew Balding. Juan De Montalban was making his seasonal debut at Sandown, having won by three lengths at third asking going a furlong shorter at Goodwood in October.
Fabilis, meanwhile, takes the prize on pedigree among this bunch, being a son of Frankel out of Mirabilis (Lear Fan), a Grade III-winning half-sister to G1 Prix de Diane victress Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat). Miribilis lines up in the Juddmonte colours for trainer Ralph Beckett, and he makes his third start of the year having run fourth in a one-mile Southwell handicap on Jan. 28. He was fourth in the G3 Zetland S. in October.
Teruya Yoshida's Tokyo Gold (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) is among the visitors from France, and the winner of last year's Listed Prix Haras de Bouquetot lines up off a second in the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault on the Polytrack on Mar. 9 and a fourth in the G3 Prix Noailles on Apr. 11. Isfahani (Ger) (Isfahan {Ger}) is among the German raiders, and he has already successfully shipped to Italy, having won the G3 Premio Guido Berardelli last term for trainer Henk Grewe and Darius Racing.
Those trying to keep Derby glory at home include Roberto Saggini's Flag's Up (Ire), one of two sons of War Command in the lineup and the winner of the ten-furlong Listed Premio Emanuele Filiberto on May 2. Tiaspettofuori (Ity) (Mujahid), meanwhile, went a half-furlong further to take the Listed Premio Botticelli over this course on Apr. 25, and all four runners from that race re-oppose here.
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