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Flintshire’s Cheshire Academy in Noailles Upgrade

White Birch Farm's Cheshire Academy (Fr) (Flintshire {GB}), who was victorious over 10 furlongs at Pau in both prior starts, retained his perfect record–after a fashion–when stewards intervened to promote the Jean-Claude Rouget trainee from a second-place finish, at the expense of 4-5 favourite Pretty Tiger (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The 37-10 chance was slowest away and raced towards the rear until turning for home in this black-type bow. Nudged along to reduce arrears with 500 metres remaining, he came under increased pressure passing the quarter-mile marker and, impeded by the errant Pretty Tiger when set to pounce deep inside the final furlong, kept on well to finish a sliver behind that subsequently demoted rival.

“I didn't see the incident live, but from watching the head-on replay it was obvious and, with a nose between the two, I am not surprised the stewards took the 'winner' down,” explained trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. “This horse has a great potential, he has improved physically with time, but is very immature and still on the weak side. He would have preferred faster ground and the jockey said it was too soft for him. He quickened like a good one in the straight and will now go straight to the [June 6 G1] Prix du Jockey club [at Chantilly]. That will give him time to get stronger and, even if he doesn't win, it should set him up for the [July 14 G1] Grand Prix de Paris over one-and-a-half miles back here. That could be his race and, with time, he should definitely develop into a nice horse.”

Cheshire Academy is the first of two foals produced by stakes-winning GI Flower Bowl S. runner-up Danza Cavallo (Fr) (Sunday Break {Jpn}), herself full to MGSW Scandinavian champion Brownie (Fr) and one of three stakes winners out of the Listed Prix Urban Sea runner-up Tropical Mark (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}). Tropical Mark is a granddaughter of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Tropicaro (Fr) (Caro {Ire}), who produced G3 Prix La Force scorer The Scout (Kris {GB}) and is the ancestress of G1 Premio Vittorio di Capua victor Amaron (GB) (Shamardal). Danza Cavallo, who is also a half-sister to GSW G1 Prix du Cadran third Trip To Rhodos (Fr) (Rail Link {GB}), has a yearling filly by Almanzor (Fr) to come.

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX NOAILLES-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-11, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:20.55, sf.
1–CHESHIRE ACADEMY (FR), 128, c, 3, by Flintshire (GB)
1st Dam: Danza Cavallo (Fr) (SW-Fr & GISP-US, $343,202), by Sunday Break {Jpn})
2nd Dam: Tropical Mark (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Tropical Zone (GB), by Machiavellian
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€77,000 Ylg '19 AROCT). O-White Birch Farm; B-SF Bloodstock SC (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, €57,750. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
*2–Pretty Tiger (Ire), 128, c, 3, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Fast and Pretty (Ire), by Zamindar. (€105,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Bernard Giraudon; B-Chevotel de la Hauquerie (IRE); T-Fabrice Vermeulen. €16,000.
3–Gregolimo (Fr), 128, c, 3, Galiway (GB)–Kendannemarie (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). (€23,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Mme Meryl de Watrigant, Jerome Vallier & Ecurie Pierre Pilarski; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Simone Brogi. €12,000.
Margins: (NO, 2HF, 3/4). Odds: 3.70, 0.80, 20.00.
Also Ran: Tokyo Gold (Fr), Media Stream (GB), Sa'ad (Fr), Baha Mar (Fr), Mythico (Fr), Fourviere (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

*Demoted from first.

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Bolshoi Ballet Stretches Ballydoyle’s Ballysax Tally

Providing Aidan O'Brien with an 11th winner of the G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. at Leopardstown, TDN Rising Star Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was comfortably in charge as Ryan Moore kept it simple in Sunday's Derby trial. Bogged down by testing ground when fifth in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October having beaten this card's maiden winner O'Reilly (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) by four lengths eight days before at this track, the 2-1 favourite was the pick of the Ballydoyle brigade for this often-important early blue riband pointer. Settled second early with the pace non-exacting, he was sent to the front with two furlongs remaining and galloped strongly to the line to score by 2 1/4 lengths from Flying Visit (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}), with Taipan (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) a nose behind in third. “You'd be delighted with him as he only ran on soft ground and will have learned a lot today,” his trainer commented. “He'll probably come back here for the [G3] Derrinstown if all goes well with him. He's straightforward and, while you're never sure, he should get a mile and a half. He goes to the line well.”

Bolshoi Ballet is a full-brother to the stable's classy stayer Southern France (Ire), who captured the G2 Sandown Classic and G3 Irish St Leger Trial winner and was third in both the G1 English and Irish St Legers, and to the dam of the GII Miss Grillo S. third Editor At Large (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The unraced dam Alta Anna (Fr) (Anabaa) is a half-sister to the G3 Prix Penelope winner and G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Abbatiale (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}) and her full-sister Aubergade (Fr) who was listed winner who was second in the Penelope. Abbatiale produced the four-times group 3 scorer Bewitched (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), who was in turn responsible for the G3 Glorious S. scorer Pablo Escobarr (Ire) by Galileo and Oodnadatta (Ire) by his son Australia (GB) who was third in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. Abbatiale's half-sister Attachante (Ire) by another son of Galileo in Teofilo (Ire) is the dam of last year's G3 Dortmund Grand Prix winner Aviateur (Fr) (Intense Focus). This is the Wildenstein family of the GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero Arcangues (Sagace {Fr}) and the G1 Prix de Diane, G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Prix Ganay heroine Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill), among others. Alta Anna's yearling filly is by No Nay Never.

Sunday, Leopardstown, Ireland
P.W. MCGRATH MEMORIAL BALLYSAX S.-G3, €50,000, Leopardstown, 4-11, 3yo, 10fT, 2:11.61, gd.
1–BOLSHOI BALLET (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Alta Anna (Fr), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Anna Edes (Fr), by Fabulous Dancer
3rd Dam: Abbey (Fr), by Jim French
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $53,813. *Full to Southern France (Ire), GSW-Aus, GSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Eng, $618,689. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Flying Visit (Ire), 134, g, 3, Pride of Dubai (Aus)–Fionnuar (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €10,000.
3–Taipan (Fr), 131, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Kenzadargent (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). (€500,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Ms Fiona Carmichael; B-Chasemore Farm LLP (FR); T-Jessica Harrington. €5,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, NO, 3/4. Odds: 2.00, 33.00, 5.00.
Also Ran: Lough Derg (Ire), Isle of Sark, Fernando Vichi (Ire), Wuqood (GB), Catena Zapata (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Shock At Leopardstown As Mehmas Filly Strikes

Sunday's G3 Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” 1000 Guineas Trial was one of the most competitive in recent times, with last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) topping the list, and so it was with a deal of surprise that the winner was duly announced as the 80-1 shot Keeper of Time (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) for the John Feane stable. Fifth on her 3-year-old bow in the well-contested Madrid H. over this seven-furlong trip at The Curragh Mar. 21, the bargain €3,000 purchase at the 2019 Goffs February Mixed Sale was settled on the rail in mid-division early by Ronan Whelan. Working her way to the front with 150 yards remaining, she was determined to hold on by a head from the strong-finishing Mehnah (GB) (Frankel {GB}), as the 66-1 shot Sense of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) finished a length back in third. “Kevin Manning thought she ran a cracker in the Madrid at the Curragh and she toughed it out well today,” Feane said after greeting his first group winner. “The better ground helped and she wants good ground. She's probably a filly that would suit America or somewhere like that. There were offers for her before, but there will probably be more on the table after this.”

Last month's Cheltenham festival and the Aintree Grand National meeting that immediately preceded this fixture hammered home the point that Irish-trained horses are in the ascendancy more than ever before. There have been frequent occasions over the past year when even the small Irish yards were able to land decent prizes and this was just another to underline just how much strength in depth there is in the country's racing. Keeper of Time was largely unremarkable at two, finishing adrift of St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) on debut over six furlongs at The Curragh in August and last of 11 on her second start in the course-and-distance Listed Ingabelle S. on the Irish Champions Day card. Winning her maiden back over six just five days later at Naas, she was out again 10 days after that when seventh in the G3 Weld Park S. reverting to this trip at The Curragh. Her latest effort in the Madrid was boosted when the seventh-placed Erzindjan (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) scored at Gowran Park in the interim, but there was little suggestion she could find sufficient improvement to upset this host of bluebloods.

Keeper of Time is the second foal out of the Shadwell-bred Motheeba (Mustanfar), a 2,000gns cast-off at the 2011 Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale two months before she achieved a listed placing in Italy. A half to the Listed John Musker Fillies' S. runner-up Jabhaat (Hard Spun), she is a granddaughter of the G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Muhbubh (Blushing Groom {Fr}) whose best progeny was the GII Tom Fool H.-winning sire Kayrawan (Mr. Prospector). The latter's full-sister Sayedat Alhadh was to go on to throw the G2 Diadem S.-winning sire Haatef (Danzig), his stakes-producing and G3 Athasi S.-winning full-sister Walayef and the listed scorer and G1 Moyglare Stud S. runner-up Shimah (Storm Cat), in turn the dam of the smart sprinter Mushir (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Muhbubh is also the ancestress of the G2 Rockfel S. winner Sayedah (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), the G2 Duke of York S. winner and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup third Magical Memory (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) and to Sandreamer (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who also captured the Princess Margaret. Motheeba's 2-year-old filly by Mastercraftsman (Ire) was bought for 52,000gns by Kevin Ross Bloodstock at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale.

Sunday, Leopardstown, Ireland
BALLYLINCH STUD PRIORY BELLE 1,000 GUINEAS TRIAL S.-G3, €55,000, Leopardstown, 4-11, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:28.29, gd.
1–KEEPER OF TIME (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Mehmas (Ire)
1st Dam: Motheeba (SP-Ity), by Mustanfar
2nd Dam: Ishraak, by Sahm
3rd Dam: Muhbubh, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (€3,000 Ylg '19 GOFFEB). O-John Nolan; B-D & E Phelan (IRE); T-John Feane; J-Ronan Whelan. €33,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-0-0, $51,035. Werk Nick Rating: First SW from this cross. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mehnah (GB), 128, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Asheerah (GB), by Shamardal. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-Kevin Prendergast. €11,000.
3–Sense of Style (Ire), 128, f, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Attire (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (€110,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Mrs B V Sangster & Mrs John Magnier; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €5,500.
Margins: HD, 1, 3/4. Odds: 80.00, 6.00, 66.00.
Also Ran: Zaffy's Pride (Ire), Shale (Ire), Joan of Arc (Ire), Amber Kite (Ire), Messidor (Ire), More Beautiful, Empress Josephine (Ire), Loch Lein (Ire), Hazel (Ire), Sziget (Ire), My Generation, Allagar (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Dawn Approach’s Poetic Flare In Charge At Leopardstown

Back at the Leopardstown venue at which he had won the G3 Killavullan S. in October, Jim Bolger's homebred Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) proved best in Sunday's Listed Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial S. Sent off the 3-1 second favourite, the bay was quickly in an ideal spot in second under Kevin Manning and when committed approaching the furlong pole gave generously to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Ace Aussie (Ire) (Australia {GB}), with Monaasib (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) a short head away in third. “He is a very uncomplicated horse who is very switched off and goes up through the gears nice,” his rider commented. “He only does what he is asked to do and is one of those you enjoy riding–he can do it from anywhere. I think he'll benefit even more when he steps up another furlong. There were plenty in there that were well-fancied and it read like a proper trial.”

Poetic Flare, who was off the mark on day one of the 2020 Irish turf flat season at Naas last March, was remarkably next seen taking part in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket off a near seven-month absence and fared respectably when 10th appearing to tire late on. A week later, he was here for the Killavullan putting 2 1/2 lengths between him and the smart filly Zaffy's Pride (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) who would run so well to be fourth in the G3 1000 Guineas Trial 30 minutes later. Bolger has a strong hand in the Guineas with the G1 Futurity Trophy winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) also in the mix and his daughter Una Manning had some news on that matter. “I'm told he could go anywhere. He hasn't decided which of the Guineas, he'll go to Newmarket or the Curragh but the two of them won't run in the same race,” she said. “He hasn't been away anywhere this year for a gallop, so he's absolutely delighted. We were confident he wouldn't have any problems handling the ground. Last year we just had to play the cards we were dealt and he had to run on soft ground, but he's not ground-dependent.”

Poetic Flare is out of Maria Lee (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), whose dual listed-winning filly Glamorous Approach (Ire) is by Dawn Approach's sire New Approach. She is a full-sister to Bring Back Matron (Ire), who in turn produced the Listed Eyrefield S. winner Dubai Sand (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and hails from the family of the Listed Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. winner Speirbhean (Ire) (Danehill). She achieved fame by producing the aforementioned champion and successful sire Teofilo and the G2 Cape Verdi scorer Poetic Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Maria Lee's 2-year-old Frazil (Ire) is a full-brother to Poetic Flare, while she also has a yearling filly by U S Navy Flag.

BALLYLINCH STUD RED ROCKS 2,000 GUINEAS TRIAL S.-Listed, €42,500, Leopardstown, 4-11, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:28.02, gd.
1–POETIC FLARE (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Dawn Approach (Ire)
1st Dam: Maria Lee (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
2nd Dam: Elida (Ire), by Royal Academy
3rd Dam: Saviour, by Majestic Light
O-Mrs J. S. Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE); J-Kevin Manning. €25,500. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 4-3-0-0, $75,333. *1/2 to Glamorous Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), SW-Eng, SW & MGSP-Ire, $224,182.
2–Ace Aussie (Ire), 131, c, 3, Australia (GB)–Queenscliff (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (€125,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Zhang Yuesheng; B-Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. €8,500.
3–Monaasib (GB), 131, c, 3, Bobby's Kitten–Mullein (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). (£65,000 Ylg '19 GOFFPR). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Landmark Racing Limited (GB); T-Kevin Prendergast. €4,250.
Margins: 1HF, NO, 1. Odds: 3.00, 18.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Notre Belle Bete (GB), Laws of Indices (Ire), Magnanimous (Ire), Horoscope (Ire), Charterhouse (GB), Matchless (Ire), Merchants Quay (Fr), Snapraeterea (Ire), A Case of You (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result.

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