Galileo’s Magical Lagoon Resilient In Irish Oaks Triumph

Yuesheng Zhang's Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Night Lagoon {Ger}, by Lagunas {GB}) displayed a willing attitude when annexing last month's G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot and her determination was to the fore again as she refused to yield and battled gamely to a career high in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh. Last term's G3 Flame of Tara S. victrix went off as the 5-4 favourite, in the absence of Epsom's G1 Oaks exacta Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and raced under a firm hold behind the clear leader, Show Of Stars (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), in second. Inching ever closer from halfway, she cruised to the front on the bridle approaching the final quarter mile and called upon deep reserves under a drive in the closing stages to bravely repel the persistent threat of Toy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a hard-fought half length, with Cairde Go Deo (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) 2 3/4 lengths further adrift in third.

Magical Lagoon, fourth on debut at Naas in August, had earlier backed up her Flame of Tara victory with a close-up seventh in Newmarket's Oct. 8 G1 Fillies' Mile in her juvenile season closer and opened this campaign with a short-head second contesting Navan's Apr. 23 Listed Salsabil S. in her penultimate start.

“It's wonderful to win one classic, to get two is absolutely amazing,” commented Jessica Harrington after adding to her 2018 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas success with Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). “She's such a game filly, who only does as much as she has to do and she's just a lovely filly to train for Mr Zhang. I kept looking at what was behind her, but I knew she'd keep staying. She stayed very well in Ascot, but they probably didn't go as quick as they did in Ascot. She just ran a great race, Shane [Foley] was in the right position and kept going forward. He rode a super race and she kept finding and finding. It's only her third run this year and I'd say she'll improve again. She's in the [G1] Yorkshire Oaks and after that I haven't really made a decision. It's been mooted and I'd love to keep her in training next year. I hope so because Galileos improve and her brother [Novellist] was a much better 4-year-old than 3-year-old. Before [Emily Upjohn's enforced withdrawal] we were the underdogs and I love being the underdog and having a go at them, but it's worked out great.”

Magical Lagoon, who becomes the 96th Group 1 winner for her sire, is one of five black-type performers produced by G3 Preis der Winterkonigin victrix Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), herself half to multiple stakes-winning G1 Deutsches Derby second Night Tango (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and one of three black-type performers out of Listed Dusseldorf-Preis winner Nenuphar (Ire) (Night Shift). Thus, the April-foaled bay is half to MG1SW G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S.-winning sire Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), German Group 3 second Nuntius (Ger) (Dalakhani {Ire}), Listed Derby-Trial second Nerud (Bernardini) and the stakes-placed Ninfea (Ger) (Selkirk). Ninfea is the dam of G2 Prix Chaudenay runner-up Nemean Lion (Ger) (Golden Horn {GB}) and the stakes-placed Nayala (GB) (Maxios {GB}). Nenuphar, kin to the stakes-winning duo Nostro Amico (Ger) (Martillo {Ger}) and National Academy (Ger) (Royal Academy), traces back directly to G3 Zukunfts-Rennen victrix Night Music (Ger) (Pramos {Ger}), herself a half-sister to G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine Novelle (Ger) (Northfields).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
JUDDMONTE IRISH OAKS-G1, €595,000, Curragh, 7-16, 3yo, f, 12fT, 2:34.02, gd.
1–MAGICAL LAGOON (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Night Lagoon (Ger) (Broodmare Of The Year-Ger, Hwt. Filly-Ger, GSW-Ger), by Lagunas (GB)
2nd Dam: Nenuphar (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Narola (Ger), by Nebos (Ger)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (305,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Yuesheng Zhang; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €290,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 6-3-1-0, $486,123. *1/2 to Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Hwt. Older Horse at 4-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Ity at 11-14f, G1SW-Eng, Fr, Ger & Ity, $1,873,588; Nuntius (Ger) (Dalakhani {Ire}), GSP-Ger; Ninfea (Ger) (Selkirk), SP-Ger; and Nerud (Bernardini), SP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Toy (Ire), 128, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–You'resothrilling, by Storm Cat. 1ST BLACK-TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €100,000.
3–Cairde Go Deo (Fr), 128, f, 3, Camelot (GB)–Elusive Galaxy (Ire) (GSP-Ire), by Elusive City. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€105,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Mark Dobbin; B-Haras du Logis Saint-Germain (FR); T-Ger Lyons. €50,000.
Margins: HF, 2 3/4, HF. Odds: 1.25, 5.00, 6.00.
Also Ran: Emily Dickinson (Ire), Show of Stars (GB), Fennela (Ire), History (Ire). Scratched: Emily Upjohn (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Frankel’s Hans Andersen Powers To Rising Stardom In Ireland

Westerberg and Coolmore's 450,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Shadow Hunter {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}) gained much benefit for his debut run, tackling an extended seven furlongs at Tipperary last month, and earned a 'TDN Rising Star' badge with a dominant display down to seven furlongs for Saturday's Juddmonte Farms Expert Eye Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden at the Curragh. The 10-11 favourite was sharply into stride to gain immediate control. Nudged along when the pack threatened approaching the quarter-mile marker, he held a comfortable buffer entering the final furlong and quickened beyond recall in style before easily holding the late rush of Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by 1 3/4 lengths.

“He had a lovely run the first day, he learned plenty and we're delighted with him,” said Aidan O'Brien. “He was a little bit green turning in in Tipperary and came forward lovely. He won well today and should have no problem stepping into stakes company now. He should have no problem going further, but there is no rush to step him up [in trip]. He could come back here for the [G2] Futurity or something like that.”

Hans Andersen, full-brother to a yearling colt, is the second of three foals and lone runner produced by Listed Roses S. victrix and G3 Cornwallis S. third Shadow Hunter (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}), herself the leading performer out of a winning half to G1 1000 Guineas placegetter Super Sleuth (Ire) (Selkirk). The January-foaled bay's stakes-placed third dam Enemy Action (Forty Niner), herself a daughter of the stakes-placed Sun And Shade (GB) (Ajdal), is a half-sister to dual Group 2-winning sire Daggers Drawn (Diesis {GB}) and to the dams of GI Garden City S. third Concise (GB) (Lemon Drop Kid) and G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) heroine Evading Tempete (GB) (by Dubai Destination).

1st-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 7-16, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:26.95, gd.
HANS ANDERSEN (GB), c, 2, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Shadow Hunter (Ire) (SW & GSP-Eng), by Arcano (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sweet Irish (GB), by Shamardal
3rd Dam: Enemy Action, by Forty Niner
Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, €15,600. O-Westerberg, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith; B-Sun Bloodstock SARL (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien. Sales history: 450,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Oaks Heroine Tuesday To Skip Irish Classic

Eight fillies will head postward for Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks following Thursday morning's confirmation of final declarations for the €500,000 Classic. The Co. Kildare venue will be denied the opportunity of a rematch between Epsom's G1 Oaks first and second, Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), with the former being the highest-profile absentee from the select field. Aidan O'Brien will instead rely on Toy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}, who is set to partnered by Ryan Moore, Wayne Lordan's mount History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire} and the Seamus Heffernan-piloted Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). They have been allocated stalls six, seven and two, respectively. John and Thady Gosden trainee and 'TDN Rising Star' Emily Upjohn, who is rated an odds-on chance to regain her winning thread, will have Frankie Dettori in the plate and has drawn gate four. Zhang Yuesheng's G2 Ribblesdale S. victrix Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been drawn on the outside in gate eight.

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Justify’s Statuette Goes Two-For-Two After Curragh Triumph

Kept at home as Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) went to Royal Ascot, TDN Rising Star Statuette (Justify–Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) was able to comfortably follow her stablemate's lead by taking Sunday's G2 Airlie Stud S. at The Curragh. Already the focus of attention on breeding, the chestnut put fuel on the fire with a fluent win on debut over an extended five furlongs at Navan May 28 and travelled easily throughout the early stages of this six-furlong contest formerly known as the Balanchine. Asked to take closer order to the leading trio before halfway, the 4-6 favourite had to work to get to Badb (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) inside the last 150 yards but was soon in command en route to a 3/4-of-a-length success from that 25-1 outsider, with Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) the same margin back in third. “She has a beautiful mind, great stride and an unbelievable physique,” Aidan O'Brien said after welcoming his eighth winner of this prize. “We think the Justifys are something to look forward to.” . Race replay. 

Statuette, whose half-sister Tenebrism (Caravaggio) was the winner of the G1 Cheveley Park S. on her second start, is being prepared for the major late-summer and autumn prizes according to her trainer. “She's a very big filly, she's 16 2 1/2, and we were only training her three-quarters ready because we had our eye on the last part of the season,” he explained. “With that type of filly if you train them too hard you wouldn't have them at the end of the season when you want them. We were a little bit worried when the ground got soft that she could have gotten very tired, but obviously just her class got her through. She travelled lovely and Ryan nursed her, she won lovely in the end.”

“She's a sister to Tenebrism, but she'd carry her on her back as she's a massive big powerful filly this one,” he added. “She's probably not as precocious as a filly running at this time of year tends to be, but she has so much class she was able to run and do it rather than us making her do it. When she was able to do it we didn't like stopping her, but at the same time we weren't chasing her in any way at home. We think she's a Guineas filly. She's a filly with a lot of class and you'd imagine she'd have no problem getting a mile. The Moyglare, the Cheveley Park, all those races are there for her. Obviously we have the filly that won at Ascot [Meditate] as well. The lads will probably keep them apart.”

The dam Immortal Verse, who captured the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and was bred back to Justify last year, topped the 2013 Tattersalls December Mares Sale when knocked down for 4.7million gns. She is a daughter of the Listed Prix La Camargo winner and G3 Prix Fille de l'Air runner-up Side of Paradise (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who is also the second dam of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. runner-up Roseman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and the G1 Futurity Trophy-placed Baradar (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}).

Side of Paradise is out of Richard Strauss's Kilfrush Stud's exceptional broodmare Mill Princess (Ire) (Mill Reef), who issued an abundance of leading lights directly and indirectly headed by the star sprinter Last Tycoon (Ire). Among her most notable producers were Last Tycoon's G3 Prix du Bois-winning full-sister The Perfect Life (Ire), Save Me the Waltz (Ire) (Kings Lake) and Zelda (Ire) (Caerleon). Under this trio are the likes of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest), the GI Matron S. winner Sense of Style (Thunder Gulch) and Galileo's trio of top-level-winning siblings Hermosa (Ire), Hydrangea (Ire) and The United States (Ire).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
AIRLIE STUD S. (BALANCHINE S.)-G2, €142,800, Curragh, 6-26, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:13.64, yl.
1–STATUETTE, 128, f, 2, by Justify
     1st Dam: Immortal Verse (Ire) (Hwt. Filly-Eng- at 7 – 9 1/2 f., G1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr, $1,053,873), by Pivotal (GB)
     2nd Dam: Side of Paradise (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
     3rd Dam: Mill Princess (Ire), by Mill Reef
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Coolmore,Westerberg,Merriebelle Stables; B-Merriebelle Stables & Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €72,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $86,135. *1/2 to Tenebrism (Caravaggio), Ch. 2yo Filly-Ire, Eng & Eur, G1SW-Eng, $262,880. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Badb (Ire), 128, f, 2, Footstepsinthesand (GB)–Belong (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Mrs Ann Marie O'Brien (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien. €24,000.
3–Matilda Picotte (Ire), 128, f, 2, Sioux Nation–Hallie's Comet (Ire), by One Cool Cat.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Matilda & Kilmichael Racing Partnership; B-Mighty Universe Ltd (IRE); T-Kieran Cotter. €12,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, HF. Odds: 0.67, 25.00, 18.00.
Also Ran: Zarinsk (GB), It's Showtime Baby (GB), Papilio (Ire), Comhra (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

. Race replay. 

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