Tag: G2 Superlative S.

Justify’s TDN Rising Star City Of Troy Emphatic In The Superlative

They may have missed out on the English Triple Crown this year, but Team Ballydoyle have another contender for that mythical pursuit in 2024 after TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify–Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) destroyed the opposition in Newmarket's G2 Superlative S. on Saturday. Allowed to stride to the fore by Ryan Moore with only Spanish Phoenix (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) ahead, the heavily-supported 4-6 favourite took command three out and went through the gears from there to issue a punishing 6 1/2-length defeat to Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), with another 3 1/4 lengths back to Oddyssey (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) in third.

“He's a very unusual and special horse,” Aidan O'Brien said of the winner, who had impressed with his attitude as well as his stride during his Curragh maiden win at the start of the month. “He has loads of speed and is happy to do whatever–he can go from the front or take a lead and can go with anything at home. He has that unbelievable rhythm and seems to just keep pushing it out and there doesn't seem to be any limit to his trip. He's a lovely-natured horse with that unusual demeanour and temperament. He has the stride and ability, speed and stamina all rolled into one.”

 

“Ryan said what happened at The Curragh had never happened to him before–he galloped out after the line down to the wall as if it wasn't there and I knew he'd go early today as there isn't too long a run to the pull-up here!,” O'Brien added. “Then going by the line he started to go again and was heading off and I thought 'oh no!' I wasn't going to run him when the rain came, as he's a real good-ground horse but the lads said to run and find out how he goes on it with the future in mind.”

“Dean [Gallagher] has done an unbelievable job with him at home and he looks an incredibly special horse. He's exactly what John [Magnier] wanted from Justify, a true Classic horse. The [G2] Futurity, [G1] National and [G1] Dewhurst are all open to him. We backed him up a little bit quick here because the race came up for him and Little Big Bear was coming. The experience of coming over will stand him in good stead and we always like to try and travel them at two. He's got loads of speed and will go any distance, so there are many roads open to him.”

Pedigree Notes
Together Forever, who captured the G1 Fillies' Mile on the other course in town, was not a big mover during her Classic campaign and managed a fourth in the G1 Irish Oaks having trailed in seventh at Epsom. Her first three visits to War Front resulted in three black-type performers in Military Style, Absolute Ruler and King Of Athens with the former the most accomplished due to his success in the G3 Tyros S. Her fourth foal and first by Justify is the stable's high-class handicapper Bertinelli, the London Gold Cup winner who proved what talent he possesses when third under a stopping weight in Royal Ascot's ultra-competitive King George V S.

The second dam Green Room (Theatrical {Ire}) was out of a full-sister to the illustrious Al Bahathri and also produced Lord Shanakill (Speightstown) and Together Forever's full-sister Forever Together (Ire). The former was the winner of the G1 Prix Jean Prat, G2 Lennox S. and G2 Mill Reef S. and was also placed in the G1 Dewhurst S., G1 Prix Morny, G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Lockinge S., while Forever Together was one of Ballydoyle's Oaks heroines. Together Forever also has a yearling filly by Uncle Mo and a filly foal by Dubawi (Ire).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 SUPERLATIVE S.-G2, £100,000, Newmarket, 7-15, 2yo, 7fT, 1:26.03, g/s.
1–CITY OF TROY, 129, 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)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. TDN Rising Star. O-Mrs John Magnier, Mr M Tabor & Mr D Smith; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $87,346. *1/2 to Military Style (War Front), GSW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Haatem (Ire), 129, c, 2, Phoenix Of Spain (Ire)–Hard Walnut (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€28,000 RNA Wlg '21 GOFNO1; 27,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah; B-Hyde Park Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £21,500.
3–Oddyssey (GB), 129, c, 2, Ulysses (Ire)–Last Echo (Ire), by Whipper.
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (10,500gns Ylg '22 TADEY). O-Pinnacle Thoroughbreds 3; B-Culworth Grounds Farm (GB); T-Patrick Owens. £10,760.
Margins: 6HF, 3 1/4, NO. Odds: 0.67, 8.50, 33.00.
Also Ran: Great Truth (GB), Son (GB), Spanish Phoenix (Ire), Metallo (Ire), Cuban Thunder (Ire), Quatre Bras (Ire). Scratched: Iberian (Ire).

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Piecing Together The July Cup Puzzle

There have been few more wide-open editions of Newmarket's G1 Darley July Cup than takes place on Saturday, with no stand-out among the 14 and nothing too far over its head that a surprise can be safely ruled out. There is an Australian runner, but Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) was too much in the scrum in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. to suggest he has an edge over the British and Irish. There are seven re-opposing from that Royal Ascot feature, with the worst-placed Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) under six lengths off the winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) despite finishing 15th. Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) is possibly the pick of the 3-year-olds, but not by far and there is a nagging sense that they may not be up to the usual standard.

That is not the view of Hugo Palmer, who paid £36,000 to supplement the Commonwealth Cup runner-up Flaming Rib (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}). “At the inception of the Commonwealth Cup, people used to go on about how 3-year-old sprinters really struggled against their elders but they do have a good record in the race and I'm sure that it's only going to get better because of the 3-year-old sprinting programme,” he said. “It is really nurturing 3-year-old sprint talent and I expect the 3-year-old trend to continue going forwards.”

 

His Crowning Moment?

If the older brigade are to establish dominion, perhaps the straightforward answer is Godolphin's Naval Crown who was winning the June 18 Platinum Jubilee on what seemed to be an unfavoured stand's rail having to race alone for the last two furlongs. That was also his second effort at sprinting, with a fourth in the Mar. 26 G1 Al Quoz Sprint his baptism of fire over this six-furlong trip, so there is significant upside to his profile now he is concentrated on this category. Stablemate Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) came off a neck worse on that occasion, but he had the best trip of the two and this ground is in stark contrast to that which he encountered in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. on Ascot's Champions Day.

“He's still a junior in the sprinting ranks, but one with the potential to progress even higher in the rankings,” Charlie Appleby said of Naval Crown. “Creative Force has had experience of the track and the race, which are important factors in his favour. This time, he is more seasoned and comes to the July Cup off the back of a great second in one of the most competitive Group 1 sprints seen for some time.”

 

A Decent Proposal

Eddie Lynam is one of a few trainers who has been labelled a “Sprint King” in recent times and a Group 1 win in England seems long overdue. Step forward Clipper Logistics' mare Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass), who relished quick ground when taking The Curragh's G1 Flying Five in September where she mastered the likes of A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}), Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead), Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) and Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}). She stays at least six furlongs, despite her recent highlights coming over shorter, and has been freshened since her return win in Naas's Listed Woodlands S. Apr. 25. Another filly in the mix is last year's G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. heroine Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was under three-lengths ninth in the Platinum Jubilee on her first start at this trip since winning the G1 Cheveley Park S. at two.

“There is no secret she is a better horse with cut in the ground, but she is really well at the moment and we are keen to use this as a stepping stone to going back to Goodwood for the Sussex S. and the rest of the year,” trainer Andrew Balding said.

 

Another Superlative Special?

   Charlie Appleby has won four of the last six runnings of Newmarket's G2 bet365 Superlative S. and supplies another deeply promising Godolphin juvenile in the June 18 course-and-distance scorer Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a half-brother to Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy). “We were pleased with Victory Dance's debut and he has definitely come forward for the run mentally,” his trainer said. “He looks the type of horse who is going to progress physically as the season goes on, but it was always the plan to take this well-trodden route with him.”

Things may not be entirely straightforward for Moulton Paddocks this time, however, with Qatar Racing's 'TDN Rising Star' Lion Of War (GB) (Roaring Lion) in attendance along with Manton Thoroughbreds' May 31 Newbury maiden winner Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). The former was the 10-length winner of a seven-furlong novice on Newcastle's Tapeta June 23, but Charlie Johnston is keeping his feet on the ground.

“You can't get carried away with the form–he has won two pretty weak contests, but the manner in which he has done it has been very impressive and we felt he was ready for a step up in class,” he said. “It is hard to know how strong it is in terms of quality, because there are three who have a very similar profile to us. We'll find out how good he is–we can dream a little if he wins.”

Ascot's G2 Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile provides the day's other highlight, with the May 14 G1 Lockinge S. third Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) meeting a clutch of other performers who operate at just under the top level.

Click here for the group fields.

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