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Group 1 Winner Pearly Shells Passes Away at 22

Haras de Saint Pair's Group 1-winning foundation mare Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}-Piffle {GB}, by Shirley Heights {GB}) has passed away from natural causes. The Lord Harrington-bred bay was 22.

A Ir£265,000 Goffs October yearling, she was raced by 6C Racing Ltd. and trainer Francois Rohaut. She graduated in her second start at three in early May of 2002, then added the Listed La Coupe des Pouliches later that month. Pearly Shells captured the G2 Prix de Malleret at Saint-Cloud in June, and took Deauville's G3 Prix de la Nonette Royal Barriere that August. Her swansong was a 1 1/2-length win under Christophe Soumillon in the G1 Prix Vermeille in September of 2002. She was retired with a mark of 6-5-1-0 and $249,080 in earnings.

“She was the first mare who came to the farm when I bought Saint Pair in 2007,” said Haras de Saint Pair's Andreas Putsch. “And we have built the farm around her. We shall all miss her presence here and will work to maintain her legacy in the future.”

As a broodmare, the half-sister to GI Hollywood Turf Cup S. scorer Frenchpark (GB) (Fools Holme) was the dam of 12 foals, 11 of racing age with 10 runners and eight winners so far. The best of these is the German Group 3 winner Pearl Banks (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), herself already the dam of Group 3 victress Lucky Lycra (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), as well as the listed winner Pearly Steph (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the dual group-placed Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Another daughter of Pearly Shells, the Monsun (Ger) mare Pearls Or Passion (Fr), won the Listed Prix Panacee in France and has thrown G3 Prix de Royaumont victress Pelligrina (Ire) to the cover of Soldier Hollow (GB), as well as the stakes-placed Podemos (Ger) (Shamardal). Pearly Shells also has the stakes-placed Pearly Avenue (GB) (Anabaa) and the G2 Prix Greffulhe second Smile Makers (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) to her credit.

Saint Pair has retained Pearl Banks and three of her daughters– Pearly Steph, Pearls Galore and her 2-year-old filly Pearl Angel (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}); the latter two are both in training. The final foal of Pearly Shells is a yearling colt by Anodin (Ire).

This is the extended family of the outstanding producer and G3 Silver Flash S. winner Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and her two Classic-winning colts–St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Farther back, other notable runners tracing to Pearly Shells's stakes-placed third dam Fiddlededee (GB) (Acropolis {GB}) are the G1 Irish St Leger heroine Mountain Lodge (GB) (Blakeney {GB}) and European Champion 3-Year-Old and English/Irish Oaks victress Sariska (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

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Galileo’s Love Hangs Tough In The Prince Of Wales’s

Long absent and much-missed, Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) returned to the big time at Royal Ascot on Wednesday and had to be as tenacious as she is classy to see off Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) under a perfectly-judged front-running ride in the G1 Prince of Wales's S., a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf this fall. Last year's G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine had been denied what had looked to be a match with Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) after that rival was withdrawn in the morning, but instead was put through the wringer by the G1 Prix Jean Romanet and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Audarya as the fillies came to the fore. Always comfortable on the lead, the 11-10 favourite appeared temporarily in trouble at the top of the straight but kept digging in against the rail to prevail by 3/4 of a length from the James Fanshawe trainee who is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with in her own right. Love's stablemate Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished on their heels in third, beaten the same margin. “It was her first run since last August and she beat a Breeders' Cup winner,” Moore said. “I'm sure she'll improve, but I'm delighted with her today. She's a very honest filly with a lot of ability.”

Love, who was Ryan Moore's last European group 1-winning ride for Ballydoyle when taking the Yorkshire Oaks in August, first came to the fore when winning the G3 Silver Flash S. over seven furlongs at Leopardstown in July 2019. Fifth in the G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh before bouncing back to take the G1 Moyglare Stud S., she ended her juvenile campaign with a third in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October prior to her perfect three-race 3-year-old campaign. She had to prove herself again here against a filly that has emerged from relative obscurity to regular in the highest league in the space of a year and had to do it on her own in front, but the ground was at least ideal for her to flow along and play catch-me-if-you-can.

Registering a 75th Royal Ascot victory, Aidan O'Brien said, “It was a little bit of a risk coming here with her first time, as often when you prepare them and then don't run them it can be a little bit tricky but we knew she was ready to run even if she wasn't cherry-ripe today. It was lovely to start her on beautiful ground and where better to start? When you do that you are a little bit vulnerable, so we're delighted with her. Ryan gave her a lovely ride–he had a balancing act, as he knew a good pace was going to suit Armory and she is very versatile and had made the running before. Ryan was happy to get a lead if someone wanted to, but it just happened that there wasn't anyone willing to. What was unusual when we were tacking her up was that we put a 52 girth on her and it wouldn't fit her, so we had to go back for a 54. That's unusual for a filly like her and obviously she's really filled into her chest. It's unusual to get a big, deep-girthed filly like that. She can go anywhere, there is the [July 24 G1] King George [VI and Queen Elizabeth S.] and the [G1] Eclipse [at Sandown July 3] and any of those races. She'll be very happy staying at this distance and also be happy going back up to a mile and a half, so we'll see what the lads want to do and how she comes out of this race. Armory had to be ridden patiently and gently and ran a great race, he just didn't quite get there.”

Audarya's trainer James Fanshawe said of the runner-up, “We are all absolutely thrilled–she's proven that she's progressed again from last year and is a really exciting prospect for the rest of the year. It looked at the furlong pole that we were going to give her a race and William said the pace wasn't actually that strong. We'll have a think about her next race, whether it's the [Aug. 22 G1 Prix] Jean Romanet or the [July 29 G1] Nassau [at Goodwood]. It'll be one of those races and we'll try and space them out.”

Love is a half-sister to Lucky Kristale (GB) (Lucky Story), who captured the G2 Lowther S. and G2 Cherry Hinton S., and a full-sister to this stable's G3 Stanerra S. winner Flattering (Ire) and the G3 Munster Oaks scorer Peach Tree (Ire). The dam Pikaboo (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is a half-sister to the seven-furlong specialist and dual G2 Park S.-winning sire Arabian Gleam (GB) and the listed-winning and group-placed sprinter Kimberella (GB) by Pivotal's son Kyllachy (GB). She is also kin to Light Quest (Quest For Fame {GB}), who produced the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air scorer Skia (Fr) (Motivator {GB})–in turn responsible for the G2 Fuji S. winner and G1 Dubai Turf runner-up Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})–and the Singapore Gold Cup winner Tropaios (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}). Pikaboo is also a half to Cute (GB) (Diktat {GB}), the dam of the Listed Midsummer S. winner and G1 Prix d'Ispahan third Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}). This is also the family of the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas-winning champion miler and sire Don't Forget Me (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}).

Wednesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
PRINCE OF WALES'S S.-G1, £700,000, Ascot, 6-16, 4yo/up, 9f 212yT, 2:06.86, g/f.
1–LOVE (IRE), 123, f, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Pikaboo (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Gleam of Light (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Gold Runner, by Runnett (GB)
O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £396,970. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 11-14f & G1SW-Ire, 11-7-1-1, $1,488,088. *Full to Peach Tree (Ire), GSW-Ire, $142,207; and Flattering (Ire), GSW-Ire, SP-Eng; and 1/2 to Lucky Kristale (GB) (Lucky Story), MGSW-Eng, $288,793. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Audarya (Fr), 123, m, 5, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Green Bananas (Fr), by Green Tune. (€125,000 Ylg '17 AROYRG). O-Mrs A M Swinburn; B-SARL Haras d'Ecouves (FR); T-James Fanshawe. £150,500.
3–Armory (Ire), 126, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–After (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £75,320.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.10, 10.00, 2.50.
Also Ran: My Oberon (Ire), Desert Encounter (Ire), Sangarius (GB). Scratched: Lord North (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Dark Angel’s Indie Angel Springs A Surprise In the Duke of Cambridge

In hindsight, a starting price of 22-1 on a Cheveley Park Stud-owned filly trained by the Gosdens and ridden by Frankie Dettori at Royal Ascot was bordering on the ludicrous and despite her form deficiencies Indie Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) stepped up to make a mockery of those odds in Wednesday's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. Since Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) exited the stall closest to the stand's side in the meeting's opening G1 Queen Anne S. the day before, all bar one of the races staged on the straight track had fallen to horses also drawn highest with the other winner only three off that fence. Whether there is a genuine bias near the stand's rail remains to be seen, but Indie Angel likes her space and so exiting from stall 12 of 12 was a real benefit here. Freshened up since finishing fourth behind Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the nine-furlong G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket May 2, the winner whose portfolio boasted just a listed win in the Fleur de Lys Fillies' S. over a mile on Lingfield's Polytrack in October was steadied in rear early. Allowed to coast into contention approaching two out, the grey was in front soon after and able to dominate the closing stages to score by 2 1/2 lengths. Lady Bowthorpe, who came up the centre along with the 11-4 favourite Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal), won the tussle for the bridesmaid's role by a short head but was always fighting a losing battle overall. “I'll be honest with you, that was unexpected,” Dettori said after his 75th Royal winner. “She's got ability, but everything has to fall right for her. She needs cover, a fast pace and plenty of room. She was too free with me at Newmarket last time, so I didn't know what to expect but today was a good day and she just took off.”

Initially restricted to handicaps over seven furlongs and a mile last term, Indie Angel garnered a brace of wins at Newmarket in July and at Salisbury the following month before being tried in Sandown's G3 Atalanta S. in late August. Eighth there, she was disappointing with no obvious excuses when subsequently seventh in a competitive course-and-distance handicap in September. By the time she tackled the Fleur de Lys, connections had found the key to her and with Frankie keeping her separate from the rest and looping the field she was able to gain a breakthrough black-type success. Penned against the rail for most of her return to the Polytrack for that venue's seven-furlong All-Weather Fillies' and Mares' Championships Conditions S. Apr. 2, she flopped when fifth as the 4-5 favourite there and despite being kept isolated in the Dahlia was still a soundly-beaten 3 1/4-lengths fourth.

While it is easy to see why the punters had given up on her, she was able to make a step forward as older fillies from this yard can do in what amounted to a perfect storm of draw, ground, pace and the fact that both Lady Bowthorpe and the Dahlia runner-up Queen Power were racing under penalties. Solid yardstick Lavender's Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who had beaten her by 2 3/4 lengths when third in the Dahlia, was four lengths behind her in this and the way she tracked and brushed aside Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) suggests it would be naive to put this down to mere track bias. She was the second of three winners for her sire in two days at the meeting, sandwiched in between Berkshire Shadow (GB) and Real World (GB), as the Dark Angel success story gathers further momentum.

Gosden, who won this 12 months ago with Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), commented, “In fairness, she won very well last backend but it went a little wrong and I probably ran her before she had come to herself in the spring. She had a little complication in her last race, but we knew she could be competitive with the top fillies. To say that she'd win by two-and-a-half lengths would have been wishful thinking, but she relaxed beautifully and she's bloomed. She looked a different filly today than when we last ran her back in May.”

Looking ahead, the senior member of the Clarehaven partnership added, “She's now won a group two, so maybe you start trying to climb even higher up the ladder. We won it last year and there are nice races like the [G1] Sun Chariot and the nice fillies' race [the G1 Falmouth S.] at the July meeting for her, so those are possibilities. Right now, we're savouring this moment.”

Lady Bowthorpe's trainer William Jarvis was inclined to blame the fast surface for her eclipse. “All credit to the winner, who was very impressive, but I feel easier ground would have suited us better,” he said of the runner-up. “When a filly is running as well as she is, my inclination is not to give her a break. She's in the [July 9] Falmouth, but ideally I would love her to try at a mile and a quarter on decent ground in the [July 29 G1] Nassau [at Goodwood], with the [G1] Sun Chariot a possibility longer term.” Sir Michael Stoute said of Queen Power, “She's a model of consistency, that's for sure, and I guess the trip was a little short of her best.”

Indie Angel, who was a 600,000gns purchase at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, is out of the Listed Silver S. winner and G3 Prix d'Aumale third Indigo Lady (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}), who is kin to the Listed Rockingham S. winner Prism (GB) (Spectrum {Ire}). The third dam Simply Gorgeous (GB) (Hello Gorgeous) is also the ancestress of the G1 Premio Roma hero Imperial Dancer (GB) (Primo Dominie {GB}) and the G3 Blue Wind S. winner and G1 Nassau S. runner-up One Voice (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}), as well as being a half-sister to the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Give Thanks (GB) (Relko {GB}) whose own descendants are headed by the G1 1000 Guineas winner Harayir (Gulch). Also hailing from the family of the G1 Epsom Derby hero and sire Teenoso (Youth), Indigo Lady has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Churchill (Ire) named Miss Clementine (Ire) who was bought by BBA Ireland and Ed Dunlop Racing for 90,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.

Wednesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE S.-G2, £140,000, Ascot, 6-16, 4yo/up, f, 8fT, 1:39.92, g/f.
1–INDIE ANGEL (IRE), 126, f, 4, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Indigo Lady (GB) (SW-Ire & GSP-Fr), by Sir Percy (GB)
2nd Dam: Seal Indigo (Ire), by Glenstal
3rd Dam: Simply Gorgeous (GB), by Hello Gorgeous
1ST GROUP WIN. (600,000gns Wlg '17 TATFOA). O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-Ringfort Stud & Paul Hancock (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £82,880. Lifetime Record: 14-5-1-2, $200,020. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lady Bowthorpe (GB), 129, m, 5, Nathaniel (Ire)–Maglietta Fina (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). (82,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Ms E L Banks; B-Scuderia Archi Romani (GB); T-William Jarvis. £31,346.
3–Queen Power (Ire), 129, m, 5, Shamardal–Princess Serena, by Unbridled's Song. (500,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Roundhill Stud (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £15,666.
Margins: 2HF, NO, 3/4. Odds: 22.00, 3.50, 2.75.
Also Ran: Champers Elysees (Ire), Lavender's Blue (Ire), Fooraat (Ire), Valeria Messalina (Ire), Agincourt (Ire), Double Or Bubble (Ire), Onassis (Ire), Parent's Prayer (Ire), Posted (GB). Scratched: Bounce The Blues (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Dubawi’s Kemari Wins the Queen’s Vase

Charlie Appleby's 3-year-old males seem to have the edge in the middle-distance and staying department at present, with Kemari (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) the latest to step forward and provide the outfit with its first Royal Ascot winner of 2021 in the G2 Queen's Vase. Stripped of one of its leading players at the start as Ballydoyle's Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was withdrawn after going down in the stalls, this latest renewal of the 14-furlong test nevertheless had enough depth to ensure that the winner would emerge with suitable kudos. Kemari, who was four-lengths second on debut to Thursday's G3 Hampton Court S. protagonist Movin Time (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in a 10-furlong maiden at Newmarket May 13, had earned this tilt when off the mark by six lengths next time over an extended 11 furlongs at Yarmouth May 28. Always travelling easily drafting behind the pace-setting fellow Godolphin runner Law of the Sea (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), the bay who is gelded and therefore unable to contest the G1 St Leger had the gap heading to the two-furlong pole. Quickly through and into the clear, the 15-2 shot kept finding for William Buick despite drifting left and hit the line with 1 1/2 lengths to spare over the 10-3 favourite Wordsworth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Stowell (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}) came from the rear to be 1 1/4 lengths further back in third.

“I must give the team at home a lot of credit for this–Kemari has been a challenging horse during the winter,” Appleby explained. “He was gelded and had his hood on for his first start, but full credit to them, they have done a great job. William praised Kemari highly after that win at Yarmouth. I have to say, I sat on the fence slightly and felt he was a horse who was progressing, but was he progressing quickly enough to be able to step up into today's league? He has proved me wrong and William right, which is the great thing about having a team such as we have got, we all put our opinions in and hopefully we get the right result. But the horse is definitely a horse who is going the right way.”

Appleby is looking at a potential crack at the Flemington showcase with Kemari and added, “I hope he will make up into a Cup horse for next year. As we all know, in the past few years three-year-olds in the Melbourne Cup have produced the goods. Whether he gets to that level, we will see, but we will enjoy today. We'll have the discussions with our principals and managers during the next few weeks and map the autumn out. He's got a profile that is working in that direction, anyway.”

William Buick added, “I had a nice draw and got a good position out of the gates. The pace took me to where I needed to be and he really quickened up well. It actually surprised me how well he quickened. He is learning on the job and I thought it was a good quality race.”

Kemari is the first of three foals out of Fittocks Stud's G3 St Simon S. scorer Koora (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who emulated her dam Kithanga (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) by winning that Newbury contest. Kithanga, who was also third in the G1 Irish St Leger, is best known as the dam of the G1 St Leger hero and sire Milan (GB) (Sadler's Wells) who was also runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. His two full-sisters Kahara (GB) and Kibara (GB) both produced smart types, with the former responsible for the G2 German 2000 Guineas winner Karpino (Ger) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and the latter throwing the stakes winner Dubara (GB) also by Dubawi. Another of Kithanga's progeny is the G2 Great Voltigeur S. third Go For Gold (Ire) (Machiavellian), while this is also the family of the G1 Epsom and Irish Derby hero and leading sire Kahyasi (Ire), the G1 Irish St Leger heroine Kastoria (Ire) (Selkirk) and the G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Key Change (Ire) by Kithanga's sire Darshaan. Koora's unraced 2-year-old is a full-brother to Kemari named Out From Under (GB), while she also has a yearling colt by Galileo (Ire) and a filly foal by Kingman (GB).

Wednesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
QUEEN'S VASE-G2, £200,000, Ascot, 6-16, 3yo, 14f 34yT, 3:04.77, g/f.
1–KEMARI (GB), 126, g, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Koora (GB) (GSW-Eng, $136,783), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Kithanga (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Kalata (Ire), by Assert (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (400,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Fittocks Stud (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £118,400. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $176,134. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wordsworth (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Chelsea Rose (Ire), by Desert King (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £44,780.
3–Stowell (GB), 126, c, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Marywell (GB), by Selkirk. O-Nat Rothschild; B-Carwell Equities Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £22,380.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 7.50, 3.33, 12.00.
Also Ran: Benaud (Ire), Law of The Sea (GB), Taipan (Fr), Arturo Toscanini (Ire), Dancing King (Ire), Ruling (Ger), Pied Piper (GB), Recovery Run (GB), Golden Flame (Ire), Dirham Emirati (Ire). Scratched: Kyprios (Ire), Zinc White (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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