Dubawi’s Never Ending Story Maintains The Ballydoyle Momentum

Following on where stablemate Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) had left off half an hour earlier, Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}–Athena {Ire}, by Camelot {GB}) supplied further notice that Ballydoyle hold many of the aces in the Classic pack as she swept aside her rivals in Leopardstown's G3 Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial S. on Sunday. Successful in the G3 Silver Flash S. over this seven-furlong trip and track in July, the 2-1 favourite who had last been seen finishing third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac was keen initially as Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) took up the running with Ryan Moore opting to slot into mid-division. Wide throughout with no cover, the regally-bred bay was wound up to take the measure of that long-time leader with 150 yards remaining and draw away for a 2 1/2-length success as Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) finished the same margin away in third.

“We're delighted, as she hadn't come in her coat yet and so we had been minding her,” explained Aidan O'Brien, who was stretching his record to a dozen winners of this contest. “We decided rather than working her hard, we'd let her run and then back off and prime her for one of the Guineas and Ryan gave her a beautiful ride and let her go to sleep. That is tough ground, so we're very happy with her. We think she'll go a mile and a quarter in time and we might wait for the Irish Guineas as Newmarket might come too quick and Meditate is on track for that.”

Pedigree Notes
Never Ending Story, who was also third in the G2 Prix du Calvados and a slightly unlucky fourth behind Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. last term, is the first foal out of the stable's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational winner Athena who was also third in the G1 Pretty Polly S. A full-sister to the G3 Snow Fairy S. winner Goddess, she is also kin to the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Bracelet (Ire) and G2 Rockfel S. winner Wading (Ire) both by Camelot's sire Montjeu (Ire). Wading produced Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}), who emulated her dam by also winning the Rockfel prior to running second in the Belmont Oaks and third in the G1 Matron S.

The second dam is the G3 Blue Wind S. runner-up Cherry Hinton (GB) (Green Desert), one of four daughters of the great Urban Sea (Miswaki) who has been either directly or indirectly responsible for a trio of Derby winners since the turn of the century. Interestingly, Dubawi has sired three black-type performers from this family in the G2 Balanchine and G3 Pride S. scorer Creative Flair (Ire), the G3 September S. winner Royal Line (GB) and Sayyida (GB) who was second in the G3 Princess Royal S. Athena's 2-year-old colt and yearling filly are full-siblings of Never Ending Story.

Sunday, Leopardstown, Ireland
BALLYLINCH STUD PRIORY BELLE 1,000 GUINEAS TRIAL S.-G3, €55,000, Leopardstown, 4-2, 3yo, f, 7f 18yT, 1:37.43, hy.
1–NEVER ENDING STORY (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
     1st Dam: Athena (Ire) (GISW-US, G1SP-Ire, SP-Eng, $732,859), by Camelot (GB)
     2nd Dam: Cherry Hinton (GB), by Green Desert
     3rd Dam: Urban Sea, by Miswaki
O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €33,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 7-3-0-3, $153,655. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Matilda Picotte (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sioux Nation–Hallie's Comet (Ire), by One Cool Cat. O-Matilda & Kilmichael Racing Partnership; B-Mighty Universe Ltd (IRE); T-Kieran Cotter. €11,000.
3–Zarinsk (GB), 128, f, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Pavlosk, by Arch.
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €5,500.
Margins: 2HF, 2HF, NK. Odds: 2.00, 6.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Madly Truly (Ire), Nightcliff (Ire), Dower House (Ire), Dame Kiri, Clever And Cool (Ire), Impact Warrior (Ire), La Dolce Vita (Ire). Scratched: Not Even Close (Ire), Ocean Quest (Ire), Tarawa (Ire), Thornbrook (Ire).

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Alexandroupois Centre Stage On Sunday

Providing it survives a morning inspection, with the ground currently heavy and more rain forecast, Leopardstown's intriguing Sunday fixture will see a trio of Classic trials flooded with a big Ballydoyle presence including the exciting 'TDN Rising Star' Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Due to make his eagerly-awaited second career start in the G3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax S., the centre of much attention at Rosegreen oozed class when beating his talented stablemate and eventual G1 Criterium International runner-up Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the extended mile maiden at Galway in September won by the yard's Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) two years earlier.

Moore's Choice…

From the family of Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), staying is going to be Alexandroupolis's game and Ryan Moore places his confidence in him ahead of the unlucky Criterium Arqana runner-up Denmark (GB) (Camelot {GB}) and Mohawk Chief (Quality Road), who captured the seven-furlong Leopardstown maiden in October won by the stable's former talented Galileo duo Cliffs Of Moher (Ire) and Star Of India (Ire). Surprisingly, this renowned Derby trial has only supplied the Blue Riband winner once since 2002 and that was Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), not among the 11 Aidan O'Brien-trained colts to prevail which include subsequent Epsom heroes Galileo (Ire) and High Chaparral (Ire).

A Familiar Tale

O'Brien and Moore combine earlier on the card with another 'TDN Rising Star' in Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G3 Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial S., which unlike the proceeding G3 Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” 1000 Guineas Trial S. is light on overall quality. Ridden too forcefully when second in the G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh in August, Hans Andersen again did too much early when fifth in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. behind Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Given that he had beaten that peer in his maiden at the Currragh, more patient tactics might see him regain his spark in a weak-looking renewal of this recently-upgraded contest.

The Story Is Still Young…

If the 2000 Trial lacks strength-in-depth, that cannot be said of the following 1000 Guineas Trial which could have a bearing on the picture for the Newmarket Classic and again it is Ballydoyle who feature prominently with the G3 Silver Flash S. winner and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac third Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Bearing in mind the improvement her dam Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) found from two to three, it could be that she is still some way off a peak and it would be no surprise if she can make a leap as the 2005 winner Virginia Waters (Kingmambo) did from here to Newmarket. The stable also has the 10-length Naas maiden winner Dame Kiri (Justify), while opposition to Ballydoyle includes Martin Schwartz's highly-regarded Roscommon auction series race scorer Impact Warrior (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) and John Oxley's Naas maiden winner Madly Truly (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) from the always-to-be-respected Paddy Twomey and Joseph O'Brien stables, respectively.

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Churchill’s Blue Rose Cen Dominates The Marcel Boussac

After the success for Nurlan Bizakov in the Lagardere, it was the turn of another rising force in French breeding Yeguada Centurion to enjoy the limelight as Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) lit up ParisLongchamp in the G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November.

Coming off a course-and-distance win in the G3 Prix d'Aumale Sept. 8, the Christopher Head trainee had the perfect tow in third as Aurelien Lemaitre contained her enthusiasm. Let loose with 300 metres remaining, the homebred surged clear for an emphatic five-length success from Jim Bolger's outsider Gan Teorainn (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), with Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) a short neck away in third.

This was a first Group 1 for Christopher Head and his famous family was around him afterwards. That it came in the year of Freddy's retirement was not lost on his father. “It's a funny thing,” Head, Sr. said. “I'm happy for him. He's the fifth generation and I hope there will be many more successes.”     Christopher, whose filly Tigrais (Fr) (Outstrip  {GB}) had lost her chance when stumbling exiting the stalls in the opener, commented, “The filly is extraordinary. I'll discuss it with her owners, whether we wait until next year or try the Breeders' Cup. I knew she'd be okay on that ground, as she proved last time she handles soft and I think she can go further–2000 [metres] will be easy for her. It's quite a surprise, as this was a very good race with all the Europeans.”

Lemaitre enjoyed one of the most straightforward rides of the afternoon and said, “She is a little Ferrari. She has a huge heart, is handy and tough and you can do what you want with her–nothing worries her. You put her in the back, she drops the bit. When you tighten your heels, she goes!”

The Wertheimers' TDN Rising Star Kelina (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was disappointing, with the 21-10 favourite fading to last of the dozen runners. Jim Bolger said of Gan Teorainn, who had been second a week previously in the G3 Weld Park S., “One way or another, she's going to be a next-year filly. Today they didn't go very fast and only raced for the final furlong and a half. Next year we will probably start her at a mile and a quarter and she should get a mile and a half.”

Aidan O'Brien said of Never Ending Story, who like the first race's third Breizh Sky ran the fastest split in pursuit, “She ran very well. Ryan thought she was definitely going to be second but she came third, so she might be a little bit weak and will improve through the winter. She could run in the [GI] Breeders' Cup [Juvenile] Fillies Turf Mile, but we'll have to see how she comes out of it.”

Pedigree Notes

Blue Rose Cen's victory in the race that Freddy's sister Criquette holds the joint-record in is a huge moment for Leopoldo Fernández Pujals' operation. Like Belbek's dam, the mare responsible for this luminary was secured at Tatts December, with 110,000gns paid at the 2018 edition of that auction. Blue Rose Cen is the only known foal to date out of Queen Blossom (Ire) (Jeremy), a daughter of the G3 Silver Flash S.-placed Mark Of An Angel (Ire) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) whose career successes included the G3 Park Express S. and GIII Santa Barbara S.

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX MARCEL BOUSSAC – CRITERIUM DES POULICHES-G1, €400,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-2, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:40.45, vsf.
1–BLUE ROSE CEN (IRE), 123, f, 2, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Queen Blossom (Ire) (GSW-Ire & US, $220,859), by Jeremy
2nd Dam: Mark Of An Angel (Ire), by Mark Of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Dream Time (GB), by Rainbow Quest
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Yeguada Centurion SLU (IRE); T-Christopher Head; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €228,560. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, €325,060. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gan Teorainn (Ire), 123, f, 2, Saxon Warrior (Jpn)–Dance Troupe (GB), by Rainbow Quest. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Ennistown Stud (IRE); T-Jim Bolger. €91,440.
3–Never Ending Story (Ire), 123, f, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Athena (Ire), by Camelot (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €45,720.
Margins: 5, SNK, SNK. Odds: 4.70, 50.00, 6.70.
Also Ran: Start Me Up (Fr), Breege (GB), Ardent, Aspen Grove (Ire), Shalromy (Fr), Dandy Alys (Ire), Wed (Fr), Habana (Ger), Kelina (Ire). Video, sponsored by TVG.

 

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Dubawi’s Never Ending Story Takes The Silver Flash

Making it a dozen renewals of Leopardstown's G3 Silver Flash S. for Aidan O'Brien on Thursday, Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) provided her handler with more quandaries as to where he places his star juvenile fillies as the big events loom. Third on debut over six furlongs at The Curragh May 22 before opening her account back there over this seven-furlong trip June 24, the daughter of Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) was keen early restrained by Ryan Moore behind the leading duo. Swooping three-wide on the turn, the 5-6 favourite was in front a furlong from home and only needed to be pushed out with hands and heels to score by half a length from Zoinnocent (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), with a head back to the long-time leader La Dolce Vita (Ire) (Caravaggio) in third to make it an Aidan-Joseph-Donnacha tricast.

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