Tag: The Curragh

Fastnet Rock’s Via Sistina Survives Inquiry To Win The Pretty Polly

Connections of Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}–Nigh {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) had an anxious wait to learn whether their star mare would keep Saturday's G1 Yulong Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh, but ultimately the inquiry accepted that Becky Hillen's uber-bargain 5,000gns Tatts December Yearling purchase was clear best despite causing significant interference. So impressive on her favoured rain-deadened ground in last month's G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket, the George Boughey-trained 5-year-old who had also captured the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air in the autumn was confidently-supported into 6-4 favouritism despite racing on a livelier surface than ideal.

Held up in the last pair early by Jamie Spencer, she had to employ her lethal acceleration to get to Above The Curve (American Pharoah) in the straight and while she delivered that she also darted right and cut across Rosscarbery (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Stay Alert (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the process. Swooping on the lead a furlong from home, she stayed on powerfully to make the stewards' decision easier with her two-length winning margin over Stay Alert a fair reflection of her superiority. Above The Curve clung to third, 1 1/4 lengths further away, ending Ryan Moore's weekend winning streak.

“I had a plan to jump smartly, get up behind Ryan in third or fourth but she didn't and so the first thing was to get out and not to get stuck down the fence–I was on about Plan E at that stage,” Spencer explained. “She leaned in a bit early in the straight and obviously halfway down the straight, but she was much the best. I only had to give her one flick and she had her ears pricked for the last furlong. I wasn't very comfortable for the first six furlongs, but she came alive when she passed one and I was in business then. She's not hung before and you'd rather win more smoothly, but she's obviously a high-class filly. You pinch yourself after Newmarket and think, 'can she do that again?' but she has.”

Handled with aplomb as well as care throughout the fledgling stage of her career by the now-retired Joseph Tuite, the imposing Via Sistina nevertheless managed to flash considerable talent on more than one occasion when the soft ground prevailed. In hindsight, her odds of 12-1 when taking apart a Premier Fillies' Handicap at Newmarket in October 2021 were a gift and the fact that was only her fourth start is testament to her former trainer's patience and due diligence.

Tuite only got to campaign her twice more as the long dry spell dominated the European summer of 2022 and as the rain finally came back Boughey was to instantly reap the rewards of that cautious approach. Second in Newmarket's G3 Pride S. before winning Toulouse's Prix Fille de l'Air, she cut an awesome figure on her comeback in Newmarket's Dahlia, handing Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) a six-length thrashing which on Friday evening was made to look even better as the Shadwell homebred mastered Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at Newcastle.

While this ground was against her reproducing her amazing final three-furlong Dahlia split of 36.76 which was significantly faster than the following 1000 Guineas, Via Sistina proved that she is able to handle top company even in adversity. “It doesn't happen like that very often,” Stephen Hillen said. “That ground is probably as fast as she wants to run on. Jamie said they went really quick, he said he missed the break and was a bit far out of her ground but when she comes good she's just much better than them. She's taken time to come and has been minded–she's 17 hands, but that cross is close to 10% group one winners and stats don't lie.”

“She's very versatile, I think she can go a mile to a mile and a half,” Hillen added. “She likes going in a straight line as well, so she could come back to a mile for the [G1] Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket. After that there is the [G1] Nassau and she'll be in most of the big races. She's in the [G1] Yorkshire Oaks and the [G1] International at York. You wouldn't be risking her on anything with 'firm' in it, but when she gets soft ground again I can see her doing something special.”

Pedigree Notes
Via Sistina's unraced dam Nigh is kin to the G1 Golden Jubilee S. and G1 Nunthorpe S. hero Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil) and to the stakes-placed Vanishing Grey (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) who is in turn the dam of the Listed Prix Millkom winner and G2 Zabeel Mile runner-up First Contact (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). The third dam La Pellegrina (Ire) (Be My Guest) is a half-sister to the G1 1000 Guineas heroine Las Meninas (Ire) (Glenstal) from the family of the G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Prix Robert Papin winner Signora Cabello (Ire) (Camacho {GB}). Nigh's 2-year-old colt by Ten Sovereigns (Ire) was a €90,000 purcase by Peter & Ross Doyle Bloodstock at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale, while she also has a yearling filly by Bated Breath (GB) bought for just 20,000gns by Hurworth Bloodstock at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
YULONG PRETTY POLLY S.-G1, €300,000, Curragh, 7-1, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:06.17, gd.
1–VIA SISTINA (IRE), 136, m, 5, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Nigh (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Native Force (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: La Pellegrina (Ire), by Be My Guest
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (5,000gns Ylg '19 TADEYG). O-Mrs R G Hillen; B-Laundry Cottage Stud Farm (IRE); T-George Boughey; J-Jamie Spencer. €180,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng & Fr, 10-5-1-1, $392,951. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Stay Alert (GB), 136, f, 4, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Starfala (GB), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Ben & Sir Martyn Arbib; B-Arbib Bloodstock Partnership (GB); T-Hugh Morrison. €60,000.
3–Above The Curve, 136, f, 4, American Pharoah–Fabulous (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith & Westerberg; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien. €30,000.
Margins: 2, 1 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 25.00, 3.20.
Also Ran: Rosscarbery (Ger), Trevaunance (Ire), Goldana (Ire), Never Ending Story (Ire), Insinuendo (Ire), Comhra (Ire).

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No Nay Never’s TDN Rising Star Matrika Too Good At The Curragh

Bouncing out of Royal Ascot, Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Matrika (Ire) (No Nay Never–Muravka {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) looked every bit a potential 1000 Guineas filly as she dominated Saturday's G2 Airlie Stud S. at The Curragh. With only eight days between this and her runner-up finish in the G3 Albany S., the half-sister to the G1 Prix Morny hero The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) who had earned her Rising Star badge in a course-and-distance maiden had no room for error.

Fortunately, she also had Ryan Moore in the saddle and despite being behind the far-side group for much of the race the 2-5 favourite was never headed on the stand's side en route to a 1 3/4-length verdict over Gunzburg (Ire) (Sioux Nation), with 2 1/4 lengths back to Ashwiyaa (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in third. Moore, who was taking his Irish Derby Festival tally to five-from-five, said, “She had run a super race last week and is a typical No Nay Never two-year-old with lots of speed and talent. She had to do it the hard way, as they [the far-side runners] were probably ahead of me but she got into a nice rhythm. She was just waiting on them the last bit and got to the line comfortably, so hopefully there is more to come.”

Aidan O'Brien added, “She has a great constitution and we were very happy with her. The first day she ran we were surprised because she's very lazy at home, we didn't really know what to expect but she won. Then she went to Ascot and ran a lovely race, but was a little green and babyish. Obviously she learned plenty from it again. She came out of the race, lost no weight. She doesn't blow at all, it takes nothing out of her–she's very natural.”

“Obviously you'd hope that she might get seven, because she is very relaxed, but she is No Nay Never and they have a lot of natural speed and find it very easy to go very fast. We'll stay at six for a while and if we have to step up to seven we will. I don't want to be too easy on her, because she has a big backside on her and I don't want her to get too big. We'll have to keep her going to a point. You'd be hoping she's going to be a Cheveley Park filly.”

Pedigree Notes
Matrika is a full-sister to the dual group 3-winning Unicorn Lion (Ire), who was also runner-up in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen, and a half to the aforementioned The Wow Signal who also captured the G2 Coventry S. The third black-type winner for the unraced dam is the Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles scorer and G2 Rockfel S.-placed Miss Infinity (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who also produced the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon runner-up Make Me King (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Muravka is also the second dam of the smart 3-year-old filly Breege (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who was runner-up in the G3 Prestige S. and third in the G3 Princess Margaret S. last season and runner-up in last week's Sandringham H. at Royal Ascot.

The second dam is the dual listed-winning and G2 Prix de l'Opera-placed Tabdea (Topsider), a half-sister to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Ta Rib (Mr. Prospector) responsible for the Listed Heritage S. and Listed Amethyst S. winner Tolpuddle (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}). Muravka's colt foal is by St Mark's Basilica (Fr).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
AIRLIE STUD S.-G2, €120,000, Curragh, 7-1, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:10.43, gd.
1–MATRIKA (IRE), 128, f, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Muravka (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tabdea, by Topsider
3rd Dam: Madame Secretary, by Secretariat
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith & Westerberg; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €72,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 3-2-1-0, $118,633. *Full to Unicorn Lion (Ire), MGSW & G1SP-Jpn, $2,021,198; and 1/2 to The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), G1SW-Fr & GSW-Eng, $387,481; and Miss Infinity (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), SW-Fr, GSP-Eng & Ger. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gunzburg (Ire), 128, f, 2, Sioux Nation–Minnelli (GB), by Showcasing (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€15,000 RNA Ylg '22 TATIRY; £160,000 2yo '23 GOUKB). O-Alymer Stud; B-Mrs Grace Nagle (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey. €24,000.
3–Ashwiyaa (Ire), 128, f, 2, Sioux Nation–Cyrenaica (Ire), by Angliana. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€12,500 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; £26,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK). O-Mrs M D O'Callaghan; B-Alla Bobaker (IRE); T-Michael O'Callaghan. €12,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.40, 11.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Do It With Style (Ire), Grand Job, Miss Roberts (GB), Launch.

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Justify’s City Of Troy A New TDN Rising Star

The Curragh's seven-furlong Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden has proved a font of high-class performers down the years and it could be Saturday's race played host to another as Ballydoyle's City Of Troy (Justify–Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) justified 6-4 favouritism in style to join the ranks of TDN Rising Stars. Withdrawn from his intended debut here in May, the son of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner was quickly at the fore alongside the experienced Instant Appeal (GB) (Advertise {GB}). Asserting from the two pole, the full-brother to his London Gold Cup-winning stablemate Bertinelli finished off strongly to hit the line with 2 1/2 lengths to spare over the Joseph O'Brien-trained newcomer Galen (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), with 1 1/4 lengths back to Instant Appeal in third.

In doing so, City Of Troy who is the sixth TDN Rising Star for Justify was maintaining Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore's 100% record at this year's Irish Derby Festival with the pair combining with a treble on Friday. O'Brien has won this particular maiden under its different titles with the promoted Rip Van Winkle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Roderic O'Connor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Duke Of Marmalade (Ire) (Danehill), while Horatio Nelson (Ire) (Danehill) and Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) were beaten in it before proving top-class.

The way the trainer spoke afterwards, City Of Troy could easily fit into that category. “Ryan has just said it's the first time he's ridden a two-year-old here and thought that he wasn't going to be able to pull him up–he just started getting longer and longer towards the line and ended up at the boards,” he said. “He is relentless and has a great presence. His brother is more of a three or four-year-old and this one is made like a two or three-year-old.”

“He's strong and powerful and a medium-sized horse with a giant stride, the Ballydoyle handler added. “His stride is twice the size of his body and that's very rare, but it's what Justify had. With the big ones, you have to wait but with these medium-sized ones you now see what they can do. Justify had speed as well as stamina and is matching very well with the European mares. Ryan said 'you can go anywhere with him and as far as you want', so he'll go into one of those seven-furlong races next [the Tyros, Futurity and National].”

Justify's five other TDN Rising Stars include the exciting 2-year-old filly Ramatuelle, who captured the G3 Prix du Bois by five lengths last month, and the stable's unbeaten Statuette who took this fixture's G2 Airlie Stud S. 12 months ago.

Pedigree Notes
City Of Troy is also a half-brother to War Front's trio of black-type performers Military Style, Absolute Ruler and King Of Athens with the former successful in the G3 Tyros S. Along with Bertinelli, who looks a surefire future pattern-race performer, this colt's debut effort means that Together Forever's first five foals have all made an impact. A half-sister to the high-class Lord Shanakill (Speightstown), who was successful in the G1 Prix Jean Prat, G2 Lennox S. and G2 Mill Reef S., she hails from the family of Al Bahathri. Next up is a yearling filly by Uncle Mo and a filly foal by Dubawi (Ire).

1st-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 7-1, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:23.96, gd.
CITY OF TROY, 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)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $13,094. O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Irish, German Derbys Make World Pool Debut

The world's largest globally commingled horse racing pools, created and powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, will now include both the Irish and German Derbys for the first time on Sunday, July 2. Germany's richest race, the G1 Deutsches Derby, will mark the inaugural time the World Pool has operated in the country and will also be available two hours later for all eight races on the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Day card from the Curragh.

“The various international Derbys carry particular importance in Hong Kong across various stakeholder categories,” said Sam Nati, Head of Commingling at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “These include racing fans, wagering customers and owners, so the German and Irish Derbys are an important addition to the World Pool schedule.”

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