Tag: Aidan O’Brien

No Nay Never’s TDN Rising Star Matrika Too Good At The Curragh

Bouncing out of Royal Ascot, Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Matrika (Ire) (No Nay Never–Muravka {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) looked every bit a potential 1000 Guineas filly as she dominated Saturday's G2 Airlie Stud S. at The Curragh. With only eight days between this and her runner-up finish in the G3 Albany S., the half-sister to the G1 Prix Morny hero The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) who had earned her Rising Star badge in a course-and-distance maiden had no room for error.

Fortunately, she also had Ryan Moore in the saddle and despite being behind the far-side group for much of the race the 2-5 favourite was never headed on the stand's side en route to a 1 3/4-length verdict over Gunzburg (Ire) (Sioux Nation), with 2 1/4 lengths back to Ashwiyaa (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in third. Moore, who was taking his Irish Derby Festival tally to five-from-five, said, “She had run a super race last week and is a typical No Nay Never two-year-old with lots of speed and talent. She had to do it the hard way, as they [the far-side runners] were probably ahead of me but she got into a nice rhythm. She was just waiting on them the last bit and got to the line comfortably, so hopefully there is more to come.”

Aidan O'Brien added, “She has a great constitution and we were very happy with her. The first day she ran we were surprised because she's very lazy at home, we didn't really know what to expect but she won. Then she went to Ascot and ran a lovely race, but was a little green and babyish. Obviously she learned plenty from it again. She came out of the race, lost no weight. She doesn't blow at all, it takes nothing out of her–she's very natural.”

“Obviously you'd hope that she might get seven, because she is very relaxed, but she is No Nay Never and they have a lot of natural speed and find it very easy to go very fast. We'll stay at six for a while and if we have to step up to seven we will. I don't want to be too easy on her, because she has a big backside on her and I don't want her to get too big. We'll have to keep her going to a point. You'd be hoping she's going to be a Cheveley Park filly.”

Pedigree Notes
Matrika is a full-sister to the dual group 3-winning Unicorn Lion (Ire), who was also runner-up in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen, and a half to the aforementioned The Wow Signal who also captured the G2 Coventry S. The third black-type winner for the unraced dam is the Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles scorer and G2 Rockfel S.-placed Miss Infinity (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who also produced the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon runner-up Make Me King (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Muravka is also the second dam of the smart 3-year-old filly Breege (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who was runner-up in the G3 Prestige S. and third in the G3 Princess Margaret S. last season and runner-up in last week's Sandringham H. at Royal Ascot.

The second dam is the dual listed-winning and G2 Prix de l'Opera-placed Tabdea (Topsider), a half-sister to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Ta Rib (Mr. Prospector) responsible for the Listed Heritage S. and Listed Amethyst S. winner Tolpuddle (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}). Muravka's colt foal is by St Mark's Basilica (Fr).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
AIRLIE STUD S.-G2, €120,000, Curragh, 7-1, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:10.43, gd.
1–MATRIKA (IRE), 128, f, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Muravka (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tabdea, by Topsider
3rd Dam: Madame Secretary, by Secretariat
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith & Westerberg; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €72,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 3-2-1-0, $118,633. *Full to Unicorn Lion (Ire), MGSW & G1SP-Jpn, $2,021,198; and 1/2 to The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), G1SW-Fr & GSW-Eng, $387,481; and Miss Infinity (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), SW-Fr, GSP-Eng & Ger. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gunzburg (Ire), 128, f, 2, Sioux Nation–Minnelli (GB), by Showcasing (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€15,000 RNA Ylg '22 TATIRY; £160,000 2yo '23 GOUKB). O-Alymer Stud; B-Mrs Grace Nagle (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey. €24,000.
3–Ashwiyaa (Ire), 128, f, 2, Sioux Nation–Cyrenaica (Ire), by Angliana. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€12,500 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; £26,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Mrs M D O'Callaghan; B-Alla Bobaker (IRE); T-Michael O'Callaghan. €12,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.40, 11.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Do It With Style (Ire), Grand Job, Miss Roberts (GB), Launch.

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Justify’s City Of Troy A New TDN Rising Star

The Curragh's seven-furlong Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden has proved a font of high-class performers down the years and it could be Saturday's race played host to another as Ballydoyle's City Of Troy (Justify–Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) justified 6-4 favouritism in style to join the ranks of TDN Rising Stars. Withdrawn from his intended debut here in May, the son of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner was quickly at the fore alongside the experienced Instant Appeal (GB) (Advertise {GB}). Asserting from the two pole, the full-brother to his London Gold Cup-winning stablemate Bertinelli finished off strongly to hit the line with 2 1/2 lengths to spare over the Joseph O'Brien-trained newcomer Galen (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), with 1 1/4 lengths back to Instant Appeal in third.

In doing so, City Of Troy who is the sixth TDN Rising Star for Justify was maintaining Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore's 100% record at this year's Irish Derby Festival with the pair combining with a treble on Friday. O'Brien has won this particular maiden under its different titles with the promoted Rip Van Winkle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Roderic O'Connor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Duke Of Marmalade (Ire) (Danehill), while Horatio Nelson (Ire) (Danehill) and Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) were beaten in it before proving top-class.

The way the trainer spoke afterwards, City Of Troy could easily fit into that category. “Ryan has just said it's the first time he's ridden a two-year-old here and thought that he wasn't going to be able to pull him up–he just started getting longer and longer towards the line and ended up at the boards,” he said. “He is relentless and has a great presence. His brother is more of a three or four-year-old and this one is made like a two or three-year-old.”

“He's strong and powerful and a medium-sized horse with a giant stride, the Ballydoyle handler added. “His stride is twice the size of his body and that's very rare, but it's what Justify had. With the big ones, you have to wait but with these medium-sized ones you now see what they can do. Justify had speed as well as stamina and is matching very well with the European mares. Ryan said 'you can go anywhere with him and as far as you want', so he'll go into one of those seven-furlong races next [the Tyros, Futurity and National].”

Justify's five other TDN Rising Stars include the exciting 2-year-old filly Ramatuelle, who captured the G3 Prix du Bois by five lengths last month, and the stable's unbeaten Statuette who took this fixture's G2 Airlie Stud S. 12 months ago.

Pedigree Notes
City Of Troy is also a half-brother to War Front's trio of black-type performers Military Style, Absolute Ruler and King Of Athens with the former successful in the G3 Tyros S. Along with Bertinelli, who looks a surefire future pattern-race performer, this colt's debut effort means that Together Forever's first five foals have all made an impact. A half-sister to the high-class Lord Shanakill (Speightstown), who was successful in the G1 Prix Jean Prat, G2 Lennox S. and G2 Mill Reef S., she hails from the family of Al Bahathri. Next up is a yearling filly by Uncle Mo and a filly foal by Dubawi (Ire).

1st-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 7-1, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:23.96, gd.
CITY OF TROY, c, 2, by Justify
     1st Dam: Together Forever (Ire) (G1SW-Eng, SW-Ire, $318,729), by Galileo (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Green Room, by Theatrical (Ire)
     3rd Dam: Chain Fern, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $13,094. O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Tatts Book 1 Millionaire Ylang Ylang Powers To TDN Rising Stardom At The Curragh

There was an abundance of pre-race hype surrounding the Aidan O'Brien-trained debutante Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Shambolic {Ire}, by Shamardal), who was hammered down to 8-13 favouritism for Friday evening's Kildare House Hotel Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at the Curragh, and she rewarded that faith with a 'TDN Rising Star' display in the seven-furlong test. Relaxed under Ryan Moore during the preliminaries, she was professional on the lead throughout and extended her margin of superiority, keeping on powerfully under mild coaxing, inside the final quarter-mile to easily account for Dollerina (Ire) (Territories {Ire}) by an impressive 2 3/4 lengths. She becomes Frankel's 34th Rising Star and joins a list which includes dual Group 1-winning G3 Hoppings S. runner-up Nashwa (GB).

“She was never away [from home], as she was so babyish, she was working very well and we're delighted with her,” O'Brien said. “It was nice to see her doing that and she's probably going to come on leaps and bounds. Ryan [Moore] gave her one back-hander to get down and stretch and said she was only playing in front. The [G2] Debutante S. should be perfect for her. She's working with the good colts no problem, which is usually a very good sign.”

Pedigree Notes
Ylang Ylang is the first of two foals out of Listed Pretty Polly S., Listed Height Of Fashion S. and Listed Chalice S. placegetter Shambolic (Ire) (Shamardal). The March-foaled bay's dam, who has a yearling colt by Kingman (GB) to come, is a half-sister to dual G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup-winning multiple Hong Kong champion Comic Strip (GB) (Marju {Ire}) and GI Flower Bowl Invitational and GI Diana S. heroine Laughing (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). Shambolic is also a half-sister to the unraced Blinking (GB) (Marju {Ire}), whose descendants include stakes-winning G3 Lillie Langtry S. third Twitch (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), stakes-winning G3 Premio Dormello third Romsey (GB) (Mukhadram {GB}) and G3 Sweet Solera S. third Mottisfont (Ire) (Adaay {Ire}).

2nd-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 6-30, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:25.50, gd.
YLANG YLANG (GB), f, 2, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Shambolic (Ire) (MSP-Eng), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Comic (Ire), by Be My Chief
3rd Dam: Circus Act (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
(1,500,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €11,800. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Magnier, Tabor, Smith, Brant & Westerberg; B-Newsells Park Stud & Merry Fox Stud (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore.

 

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Auguste Rodin Faces Eight In Irish Derby

Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will have eight peers to overcome on Sunday in his bid to become the fifth Derby winner for Aidan O'Brien to double up in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh. Among them are the Derby third White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) and fourth Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the only runners not representing the O'Brien family with the Donnacha-trained Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Joseph-trained Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) the others taking on a Ballydoyle quintet. Auguste Rodin is drawn next to the rail in one, with the habitual slow-starter White Birch widest of all in eight.

Incredibly, Ryan Moore is looking for a first renewal of this Classic and said in his Betfair blog, “If he runs up to the level of his form at Epsom, something is going to have improve markedly to beat him. I am sure the connections of White Birch and Sprewell will fancy their chances of at least getting closer to us on this more conventional track. And who is to say they won't. Different day, different course, different result maybe. But everyone saw the real Auguste Rodin in the Derby, stepped up to a trip more in keeping with his superb pedigree and everyone has seen how strong the form is with King Of Steel and Waipiro coming out and winning at Ascot.”

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