Tag: Merriebelle Stables

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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Justify’s Statuette Earns TDN Rising Star Tag at Navan

Coolmore, Westerberg and Merriebelle Stables' 2-year-old filly Statuette (Justify–Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) was hammered into 11-10 favoritism for Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Navan and justified that welter of support by powering clear of her rivals in the latter stages to attain TDN Rising Stardom on debut. The March-foaled chestnut was well away to track the leaders in a share of third through the early stages. Nudged along to close soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened smartly to lead with 150 yards remaining and engaged turbo from there to prevail by an impressive three lengths from Olivia Maralda (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), becoming the second winner for her freshman sire (by Scat Daddy).

“It was nice to start her off on some nice ground,” said Ryan Moore. “She's a lovely, big filly and was a standout physically. She did that really nicely. She's a Justify out of Immortal Verse, so she's got an incredible pedigree. I'd like to think, looking at the size of her, that she will continue to progress throughout the season. She's a filly that Aidan [O'Brien] liked and I'm very happy with what she's done.” Ballydoyle's Chris Armstrong added, “She has always shown loads at home and could be a filly for the [G3] Albany [S. at Royal Ascot]. She's a very big filly, we'll take her home and see how she comes out of it. She is by Justify, an incredibly exciting sire, she's his first winner in Europe and he had a very good winner in America last weekend. We have some nice Justifys.”

Statuette is the latest of five foals and fourth scorer produced by Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), whose career highlights include victories in the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. Immortal Verse, who topped the 2013 Tattersalls December Mares sale when knocked down for 4,700,000gns, is the leading performer for Listed Prix La Camargo victrix and G3 Prix Fille de l'Air runner-up Side of Paradise (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), whose descendants include stakes-winning G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. runner-up Roseman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). Side of Paradise is a full-sister to Listed Rose Bowl S. winner Flowerdrum (Ire) as well as being a half-sister to MG1SW sire Last Tycoon (Ire) (Try My Best), G3 Prix du Bois victrix The Perfect Life (Ire) (Try My Best) and dual G3 Goldene Peitsche-winning sire Astronef (Ire) (Be My Guest). Side of Paradise is also kin to the stakes-placed dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest) and G1 Matron S. victrix Sense of Style (Thunder Gulch). Black-type descendants of Statuette's third dam Mill Princess (Ire) (Mill Reef) also include top-level winners Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), The United States (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Tie Black (Ire) (Machiavellian). Immortal Verse, whose leading performer is last year's G1 Cheveley Park S. victrix Tenebrism (Caravaggio), was bred to Justify last year.

1st-Navan, €16,000, Mdn, 5-28, 2yo, f, 5f 162yT, 1:11.55, gd.
STATUETTE, f, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Immortal Verse (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 7-.5f, G1SW-Eng & 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-TIME STARTER. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €9,440. O-Westerberg, Coolmore & Merribelle Stables; B-Merriebelle Stables, Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Caravaggio’s Tenebrism Notches Landmark Score in the G1 Cheveley Park

Westerberg, Coolmore and Merriebelle Stables' 2-year-old filly Tenebrism (Caravaggio) was the first runner for her freshman sire (by Scat Daddy), attaining 'TDN Rising Star' status in an instant when posting an impressive 3 3/4-length success in a Mar. 28 five-furlong Naas maiden, and notched another first for the now Ashford Stud incumbent with another taking performance on her comeback in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket. The March-foaled dark bay was under a patient ride through halfway and raced off the tempo in rear. Nudged along to close passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened smartly to go third entering the final furlong and went through an array of gears on the rise to the line to inhale 'TDN Rising Star' Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in the dying embers for a one-length success. Kirsten Rausing's G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. victrix Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten), coming back off a second to Zain Claudette (Ire) (No Nay Never) in last month's G2 Lowther S., ran on well to finish three lengths adrift in third. Zain Claudette never featured at the business end and ran 10th while Juddmonte's hitherto unbeaten G3 Round Tower S. winner Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) tanked into contention at halfway, but was unable to land a telling blow in the closing stages and finished eighth.

“I didn't think it was possible for her to do that, not because of ability but because of the [181-day] lay-off she'd had,” admitted trainer Aidan O'Brien after claiming a fourth renewal. “She had a setback after the last day and was off for a long time. She was just literally ready to come racing and I had a knot in my stomach whether it was fair to be running her or not. But there is only one Cheveley Park and you don't get horses with the speed and the turn of foot she has very often. That's why she's here really. Her dad had a terribly good turn of speed as well and that's what she has. I asked Ryan [Moore] to just get her to relax and find herself and see what's going to happen. She did the very same thing in her maiden and it's a rare thing when you see them able to quicken like that. How far would she stay is the next thing. I had her entered over seven furlongs at the weekend and, usually, if they get seven they might get a mile. Wherever she is, you'll be riding her for speed. You have to train her now as a [G1 1000] Guineas filly and you can come back in trip any time.”

O'Brien, looking to the immediate future, indicated a trip Stateside is an option. “I would say if she's going to go again this year it will be in America,” he said. “The lads will decide if they want to go to the Breeders' Cup and it will depend how she comes out of today. To go travelling would be a great experience for next year and I'd say, if she comes out of it well and the lads want to do it, we'd be delighted to go. It's definitely something we'd have to think about.”

Flotus appeared set fair for victory when bursting clear inside the final quarter mile, but first lady status was denied by the unrelenting surge of Tenebrism in the dying strides. “I thought there was nothing coming out of the pack to catch her, and then you just saw Aidan's filly coming and I thought 'oh, no!',” said trainer Ed Crisford. “She's a proper filly, she ran a huge race and showed what we've been seeing at home. We'll see how she is, there's not that many options left this year. Whether we go to America or not, I'm not sure. She's definitely got the size and scope to make a 3-year-old, which is exciting.”

Tenebrism, half-sister to a yearling filly by Justify, becomes the second pattern-race and first top-level winner for her first-crop sire (by Scat Daddy). She also becomes the first black-type and Group 1 winner for her dam Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), whose career highlights include victories in the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. Immortal Verse is the leading performer for Listed Prix La Camargo victrix and G3 Prix Fille de l'Air runner-up Side of Paradise (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), whose descendants include stakes-winning G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. runner-up Roseman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). Side of Paradise is a full-sister to Listed Rose Bowl S. winner Flowerdrum (Ire) as well as being a half-sister to MG1SW sire Last Tycoon (Ire) (Try My Best), G3 Prix du Bois victrix The Perfect Life (Ire) (Try My Best) and dual G3 Goldene Peitsche-winning sire Astronef (Ire) (Be My Guest). Side of Paradise is also kin to the stakes-placed dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest) and G1 Matron S. victrix Sense of Style (Thunder Gulch). Black-type descendants of Tenebrism's third dam Mill Princess (Ire) (Mill Reef) also include top-level winners Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), The United States (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Tie Black (Ire) (Machiavellian).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE CHEVELEY PARK S.-G1, £283,750, Newmarket, 9-25, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:11.00, g/f.
1–TENEBRISM, 126, f, 2, by Caravaggio
1st Dam: Immortal Verse (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 7-.5f, G1SW-Eng & 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; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Westerberg, Coolmore & Merribelle Stables; B-Merriebelle Stables, Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £160,915. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $229,777. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Flotus (Ire), 126, f, 2, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Floriade (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (€65,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV; 125,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-J-E Dubois, B Kwok, E Babington, et al; B-Newtown Stud & T J Pabst (IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford. £61,006.
3–Sandrine (GB), 126, f, 2, Bobby's Kitten–Seychelloise (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £30,532.
Margins: 1, 3, 3/4. Odds: 14.00, 11.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Guilded (Ire), Desert Dreamer (GB), Illustrating (GB), Have A Good Day (Ire), Sacred Bridge (GB), Eve Lodge (GB), Zain Claudette (Ire), Corazon (Ire), Thunder Love (GB). Scratched: Velocidad (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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First Winner For Caravaggio Is A Rising Star

The first runner for her exciting first-season sire, Tenebrism (Caravaggio) also carried the mantle of Ballydoyle's first juvenile runner of 2021 into Sunday's five-furlong juvenile opener at Naas. Not that she comprehended the gravitas of the moment, but the manner in which the daughter of the high-class Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) dealt with the task in hand could not have been more pleasing for her high-profile connections. In readily dismissing her peers in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden staged on soft ground, she instantly set a lofty standard for her stable's similarly illustriously-bred 2-year-olds to meet. Allowed to drift out to 7-2 despite holding on to favouritism, the bay who races for a partnership between Coolmore, Georg von Opel's Westerberg Limited and her part-breeder Merriebelle Stables was away on terms under Seamie Heffernan before meeting traffic in behind before halfway. Last when switched wide for a clear run two out, she responded notably to a smack with the whip to begin pursuit of the Bolger runner Gaire Os Ard (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who had looked the likely winner at that stage. Picking up in dramatic fashion to brush that fellow filly aside with 150 yards remaining, she was pushed out with hands and heels to register an emphatic 3 3/4-length success and earn TDN Rising Star status in the process. Gaire Os Ard, who ran a respectable debut in her own right, was in turn 2 3/4 lengths in front of the third Lord Gorgeous (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}).

Aidan O'Brien holds her in high regard and said, “She was always very natural from day one and she's able to quicken up very well, which is what the dad was able to do. You would have to be very happy with her. She's smart and we can look at all those quick races for her.”

It is always to be hoped that a mare with the ability of Immortal Verse will transmit that to her progeny and it may be significant that Tenebrism is her first daughter with her three prior foals including sons of War Front who won in Battle for Glory and Grand Deed. Particularly effective on this type of surface, one of the leading lights for the famed Richard Strauss-Robert Collet combination was dynamic when taking the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois with give in the ground, on the latter occasion inflicting a rare defeat on Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa). Her full-sister Go Lovely Rose (Ire) was responsible for another who relished testing conditions in Roseman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), runner-up in last year's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S., while her 3-year-old colt Baradar (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) was third in deep ground in the G1 Futurity Trophy in October.

The second dam is the listed-winning and group 3-placed Side of Paradise (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), a half-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile-winning dual champion sprinter and champion sire Last Tycoon (Ire) and to the sire Astronef (Ire). Two other half-siblings to make a mark as broodmares were Save Me the Waltz (Ire) (Kings Lake), dam of the GI Matron S. winner Sense of Style (Thunder Gulch) and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest), and Zelda (Ire) (Caerleon) who is the ancestress of the G1 English and Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and her dual group 1-winning full-sister Hydrangea (Ire). Immortal Verse, who was bought by John Moores and Charles Noell's Merriebelle Stables for 4.7million gns at the 2013 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, also has a yearling filly by Justify who she was bred back to this year.

1st-Naas, €14,000, Mdn, 3-28, 2yo, 5fT, 1:07.46, sf.
TENEBRISM, f, 2, by Caravaggio
     1st Dam: Immortal Verse (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 7-9 1/2f, 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
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $9,913. O-Coolmore/Westerberg/Merribelle Stables; B-Merriebelle Stables & Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO

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