Tag: Aidan O’Brien

O’Brien-Trained Mother Earth Very Game In Prix Rothschild

The Prix Rothschild, a Group 1 race restricted to fillies and mares, and run over one mile on the straight course at La Touques racecourse, kick-started the 2021 Deauville Barrière Meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 3rd. After a superb battle, it was the Irish filly Mother Earth who carried the day at the main expense of the French pair, Sagamiyra and Speak of the Devil. The first four home finished within half a length of each other.

Mother Earth (Zoffany) didn't have the clearest of runs but the 3-year-old filly showed great courage to fend off all comers. Carrying the label of the Coolmore, the international powerhouse, Mother Earth already won the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, a classic race which seeks to determine the best future breeding prospects. She followed this up with three excellent performances, having finished second in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, and third in both the Coronation Stakes and Falmouth Stakes – three very prestigious Group 1 events.

“She's very tough and very consistent,” trainer Aidan O'Brien said of Mother Earth. “Ryan [Moore] gave her a lovely ride and she is very  professional. We are very lucky in France this year, Ioritz [Mendizabal] gave our horses some great rides as did Ryan today and we are very lucky to have some very well bred horses. Mother Earth has a great mind. She travels very well, she settles very well and she quickens very well. She is a very good filly. We think the mile is really her trip as she travels really well. Sometimes, when she goes to the front, she waits a little bit but the mile is her perfect trip, we think, at the moment.

“I don't think she needs a break: she is very professional and she takes her races very well and loves racing. Her races are spaced out nice that far and she has come from her races very well. The Matron or the Moulin could be options, she is on all those races. We will see how she comes from this one before picking the next one. She is very versatile regarding the ground so America could be an option and she was second there last year.”

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Rothschild Glory For Zoffany’s Mother Earth

It was tight at the finish of Deauville's G1 Prix Rothschild on Tuesday, but when the going gets tough you can rely on Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) to give her all and that was enough to provide Aidan O'Brien with another highlight in France this year. Admirably consistent since her success in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 2, the 19-10 favourite who was a latest runner-up in the G1 Falmouth S. on Newmarket's July Course July 9 was happy to follow the leaders early. When Ryan Moore asked the question, she responded typically gamely to gain a narrow lead on the stand's side with 300 metres remaining and battle all the way to the line. There was a head to Sagamiyra (Fr) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) in second, with a short head separating her and another of the French-trained older fillies in Speak of the Devil (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) also involved in the four-way go the same margin away. “I didn't have the best trip and had to move a little bit earlier than I wanted, so she had to be very brave to win,” the winning rider said.

Out early at two, Mother Earth was second as Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was third behind the smart Frenetic (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) over an extended five furlongs at Navan in June before finishing third in the G3 Albany S. nine days later at Royal Ascot. Coming back strong to record a four-length success in the G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Sprint S. over the same six-furlong trip at Naas in early July, the bay was third in The Curragh's G2 Airlie Stud S. before moving up to seven furlongs to finish in the same spot in the G2 Debutante S. back at the latter venue in August. Only 11th under forcing tactics in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. over the same course and distance in September, she rounded off her campaign with a third in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October and second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Relishing the fast surface at Newmarket for the 1000 Guineas, she may have found deep conditions against her when outsprinted by Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}) in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp a fortnight later and again had soft ground to contend with when third in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 18. The Falmouth had looked very strong form this week as Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) went on to significant big-race success and Mother Earth was adding more ballast with this gutsy effort. When it came down to a straight fight to the line with The Aga Khan's unexposed Sagamiyra, she refused to relinquish and in a race with no hard-luck stories emerged best as her form entitled her to.

Aidan O'Brien, whose French visits this season have culminated in wins in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, G1 Prix du Jockey Club, the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, said, “She is a lovely consistent filly and we have been blessed this year, but only because we're very lucky to train so many well-bred horses. Ryan gave her a great ride and she loves racing and takes it well. She's a very professional filly, she settles very well, relaxes and then quickens. She doesn't do that much then she gets to the front and waits a little bit, but that's not a bad trait. I think we'll probably stay at a mile, she's professional at a mile and she likes the pace that the milers go. I'd say the [Aug. 15 G1] Prix Jacques le Marois is definitely a possibility, because she is so professional but we'll see how she comes out of it and see what the lads want to do. All those races are open to her, she was in the Breeders' Cup last year and she ran a big race and was finishing well that day.”

Mikel Delzangles said of Sagamiyra, “We are never happy to be second, but the filly fully lived up to our expectations and she proved courageous. She is a genuine miler who may perhaps go a bit longer. Up against genuine high-class opposition, she really battled until the bitter end. It's obvious that it's better to be racing along the rail at Deauville, but, given her eight draw, this was always going to be a tough task. Regarding the future, nothing is decided. However, there are numerous options open to her–even if it isn't easy travelling this year.”

Frederic Rossi retains hope that Speak of the Devil can make the breakthrough after going so close again. “Stephane Pasquier has given the filly a peach of a ride. When she loomed on the scene going the final 200 metres, I thought that she was going to win because she has a powerful finishing kick,” he commented. “There was nothing in it at the finish and it proves that she can win her group 1 race before the end of the season, although I don't know which one it will be yet. To be in the line-up of the Prix Rothschild was already quite a daring gambit, but wow! I'm really happy. Especially as the filly carries of the colours of an owner that I have a lot of time for and which is investing in the yard. I hope that we will have enjoy many years of considerable success together.”

Mother Earth is out of Many Colours (GB) (Green Desert), who captured the Listed Dance Design S. and was second in the G3 Denny Cordell & Lanwades Stud Fillies S. before producing the G2 Premio Dormello winner Night Colours (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). The second dam First of Many (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) is a full-sister to the G3 Lillie Langtry S. runner-up Without a Trace (Ire) and a half to the Listed Marygate S. winner Patience Alexander (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) who was also third in the G3 Albany S. She is related to the G3 Anglesey S. and G3 Molecomb S. winner Lady Alexander (Ire) (Night Shift), dam of the G3 Palace House S.-winning sire of note Dandy Man (Ire) (Mozart {Ire}) and to Anthem Alexander (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) who took the G2 Queen Mary S. and was placed in the G1 Cheveley Park S. and G1 Commonwealth Cup. Many Colours' yearling filly is by Sioux Nation.

Tuesday, Deauville, France
PRIX ROTHSCHILD-G1, €300,000, Deauville, 8-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:35.81, sf.
1–MOTHER EARTH (IRE), 123, f, 3, by Zoffany (Ire)
1st Dam: Many Colours (GB) (SW & GSP-Ire, MSP-UAE, $276,926), by Green Desert
2nd Dam: First of Many (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Star Profile (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
(€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €171,420. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, GSW-Ire & GISP-US, 13-3-4-5, €891,004. *1/2 to Night Colours (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), GSW-Ity, $139,607. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sagamiyra (Fr), 130, f, 4, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Saghaniya (Fr), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Mikel Delzangles. €68,580.
3–Speak Of The Devil (Fr), 130, f, 4, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Moranda (Fr), by Indian Rocket (GB). (€45,000 Wlg '17 ARQDE; €62,000 Ylg '18 AROCT). O-Rashit Shaykhutdinov; B-Herve Viallon (FR); T-Frederic Rossi. €34,290.
Margins: HD, SHD, SHD. Odds: 1.90, 10.00, 33.00.
Also Ran: Rougir (Fr), Belle Image (Ire), Coeursamba (Fr), Primo Bacio (Ire), Tahlie (Fr), Parent's Prayer (Ire), No Speak Alexander (Ire), Novemba (Ger), Padovana (Fr), Axana (Ger), Queen of Love (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Wonderful Tonight The Saturday Star

   With Goodwood Saturday centred around the Stewards Cup for the sprinters, the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. is the sole black-type contest on the closing card but it features one of Europe's best in Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).

Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu, G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Hardwicke S. heroine was forced to miss last Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. due to the fast surface and despite the ground drying out all the time here,  she is committed to run under her three-pound penalty. Trainer David Menuisier is taking nothing for granted.

“The opposition obviously is not the same as the King George, but they have to be respected,” he said. “I haven't gone into great detail as to the horses left in the race but there's a 3-year-old carrying next to no weight, which is something you can't discard. She's the favourite and she should be, but we're not going there thinking she's a sure thing. It's a horse race and we know Goodwood offers some upsets at times.”

“I'm not here to put a dampener on it because on sheer ability, there's no race,” he added. “She's a bit buzzy, because she went to Ascot and had to come back but other than that she's fine. It's important she runs at the end of July and it didn't happen last weekend. That's the main point–she needs to run somewhere, because she's really well and fit. I don't want to deceive her by going back home and keep on working her there to get the freshness out of her without racing.”

Weather is always a concern for Menuisier, but there is rain forecast ahead of the race. “Obviously we're still hoping for some rain before Saturday to keep it on the slow side, because it's drying out quickly,” he said. “Good ground would be okay and if we don't get any more rain I think that's what it will be. I just know that on quicker ground she can't reach the levels she does on soft, so then it is a question of opposition.”

Koji Maeda's July 8 G3 Stanerra S. winner Believe In Love (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) will be in the mix if the favourite fails to fire, while the weight-for-age is a staggering 15 pounds which brings Ballydoyle's June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks third and July 17 G1 Irish Oaks runner-up Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) into the equation as the sole 3-year-old in the line-up.

“She has developed into a very solid, classy filly and now has two Classic-placed performances to her name,” jockey Ryan Moore said. “She operates on any ground, so the weather can do what it wants and you have to like her chances as the only 3-year-old in here getting a hefty 12 pounds from most and 15 from Wonderful Tonight.”

At Newmarket, Juddmonte's rare jewel Chiasma (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) lines up for the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice S. The John and Thady Gosden-trained full-sister to Frankel (GB) faces tough opposition in the 12-furlong contest as she bids to build on her novice win at Kempton last time June 30.

“It's a good renewal of the race and some of the fillies in there have got some strong form by their names,” Thady Gosden said. “Chiasma won last time out which was important for her and for Juddmonte. Now we hope to get some black-type next to her name with a pedigree like hers. If the ground is faster it won't be a worry, although it is due to rain and she has already run on soft ground. She shows a great attitude at home and enjoys her work.”

Another Juddmonte runner is the unbeaten Ralph Beckett-trained Yesyes (GB) (Camelot {GB}), who has impressed at Haydock May 28 and Lingfield July 14.

“The mile and a half on the July Course should suit her really well, particularly as they have a drop of rain forecast,” her trainer said. “Her first run has been given a boost and it is lovely form. We've had to be patient with her, as she was slow to come to hand. Last year she was a big filly and was simply not ready to race.”

Godolphin's Sayyida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a half-sister to Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) with two course-and-distance wins to her name May 16 and June 26 and Charlie Appleby is looking forward to seeing how she fares in a tough contest.

“We will be slightly on weather watch, as we would like a bit of rain as it was quick enough there on her last start,” he explained. “We are pleased with her preparation and the one thing she does is stay well.”

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Poetic Flare, Order Of Australia Chasing Breeders’ Cup Berth In Wednesday’s Sussex Stakes

Mrs. J.S. Bolger's 3-year-old Poetic Flare (IRE), a two-time Group 1 winner, and Order of Australia (IRE), the defending US$2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) champion, lead Wednesday's Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood Racecourse. The Qatar Sussex Stakes winner will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's US$2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California on Nov. 5-6.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Qatar Sussex Stakes winner to start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run at a mile on the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

The Qatar Sussex Stakes will be televised live on TVG with an approximate post time of 10:35 a.m. ET.

Challenging older runners for the first time in the Qatar Sussex Stakes, Poetic Flare, trained by Jim Bolger, has won five races in eight starts, including three this year. A son of Dawn Approach (IRE) out of the Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) mare Maria Lee (IRE), Poetic Flare captured the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at 1 mile on May 1 at Newmarket, defeating Master of The Seas (IRE) by a short head at 16-1. That win was followed by a sixth-place finish as the 5-2 favorite in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) (G1) at ParisLongchamp on May 16. Just six days later, Poetic Flare was entered in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas (G1) at The Curragh, where he finished second by a short head to stablemate Mac Swiney (IRE). However, Poetic Flare returned to his winning ways with his most impressive performance to date, taking the 1-mile St James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot on June 15 by 4 1/4-lengths.

“Poetic Flare has been very well since the St James's Palace Stakes,” said Jim Bolger to Goodwood.com. “We're very happy with his work and he seems to be improving further. I was expecting and hoping for him to win at Ascot but possibly not as spectacularly as he did.”

Trainer Aidan O'Brien, who has won the Qatar Sussex Stakes five times, has entered Order of Australia and Lope Y Fernandez (IRE), the first and third-place finishers, respectively, in last year's FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland. Owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Anne Marie O'Brien, the 4-year-old Order of Australia came off the also-eligible list to win by a neck at 73-1 over stablemate Circus Maximus (IRE). Order of Australia made his first start of 2021 in the “Win and You're In” Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, finishing eighth. He rebounded in his next start, though, scoring a 1 1/4-length triumph in the 7-furlong Romanised Minstrel Stakes (G2) at The Curragh on July 18.

The 4-year-old Lope Y Fernandez, owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor, finished second to Palace Pier (GB) in the Queen Anne Stakes by 1 ½ lengths in his third start this year. A son of Lope de Vega (IRE), Lope Y Fernandez began 2021 with a 5 ½-length victory in the listed 1-mile Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown on April 14. He started next in the 1-mile Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (G1) at Newbury on May 15, but was not a factor, finishing eighth as the 5-1 second choice.

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Three-year-old fillies Alcohol Free (IRE) and Snow Lantern (GB) were the first two finishers in the 1-mile Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot on June 18. The 1 ½-length victory in the Coronation was Alcohol Free's second Group 1 triumph. Owned by Jeff Smith and trained by Andrew Balding, the daughter of No Nay Never claimed her first Group 1 in last year's Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Alcohol Free began this year with a win in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes (G3) at Newbury on April 18. In her first start against older fillies and mares, Alcohol Free finished third to Snow Lantern in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket on July 9.

Rockcliffe Stud's Snow Lantern, trained by Richard Hannon, has finished in the money in her four starts this year. A gray daughter of Frankel (GB), Snow Lantern broke her maiden in the 1-mile Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships at Newbury on April 18. She finished third in the listed Oaks Farm Stables Fillies' Stakes at York on May 14 prior to her second-place effort in the Coronation. Sent off at 6-1 in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes, Snow Lantern moved off the rail in the final two furlongs and surged to the front to catch QIPCO 1000 Guineas (G1) winner Mother Earth (IRE) by a half-length.

Juddmonte's 4-year-old Kentucky homebred Tilsit, trained by Charlie Hills, comes into the race off a win in the 1-mile Betfred Summer Mile Stakes (G2) at Ascot on July 10. That victory came after a second-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Prix d'Ispahan (G1) at ParisLongchamp on May 30. A son of First Defence, Tilsit has a win over the Goodwood course, taking last year's 1-mile Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (G3).

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