In total command throughout Saturday's G2 Lanwades Stud S. at The Curragh, Renzo Forni's Epona Plays (Ire) (Australia {GB}) made it a third group win in her last four starts as she dominated under an enterprising ride from Billy Lee. Earning this step up after successes in the G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies S. over an extended nine furlongs at Gowran Park in September and the G3 Park Express S. at Naas Mar. 28, the 9-2 shot was always comfortable in front en route to a four-length defeat of Soul Search (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Too Soon To Panic (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) was a further 1 1/2 lengths behind in third, holding the 6-5 favourite Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) by a neck. “She just got into a lovely rhythm there,” trainer Willie McCreery said. “There were only six runners and we could see there was probably going to be no pace in the race. We wanted to try and take the pace out of the group 1 filly and not to leave anything for her. That's a tough mile today. It's fantastic for owner Renzo Forni, who has been a fantastic supporter of me since Joanna Morgan retired.”
On the upgrade, Epona Plays has really gone places since finishing third in the G3 Snow Fairy Fillies S. over nine furlongs here in August with her sole subsequent reversal when seventh in the Listed Glencairn S. over a mile at Naas in November possibly due to her rearing at the start. She is one of a trio of black-type performers out of the unraced New Plays (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) alongside the G3 Athasi S. scorer Dolce Strega (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and the Listed Ruby S. runner-up Bumbasina (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}). The second dam Sagamartha (GB) (Rainbow Quest), who produced the G2 Doncaster Cup runner-up Darley Sun (Ire) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), is kin to the G2 Lowther S. and G2 Queen Mary S. winner Flashy Wings (GB) (Zafonic) who was also placed three times at the top level and is the dam of the recent Leopardstown maiden winner and G1 Epsom Derby entry The Mediterranean
(Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The dam's yearling colt is by Muhaarar (GB).
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
LANWADES STUD S. (RIDGEWOOD PEARL S.)-G2, €112,000, Curragh, 5-22, 4yo/up, f, 8fT, 1:42.56, sf/hy.
1–EPONA PLAYS (IRE), 128, f, 4, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: New Plays (Ire), by Oratorio (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sagamartha (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Lovealoch (Ire), by Lomond
O/B-Renzo Forni (IRE); T-Willie McCreery; J-Billy Lee. €60,000. Lifetime Record: 12-4-1-3, $178,300. *1/2 to Dolce Strega (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), GSW-Ire; and Bumbasina (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), MSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Soul Search (Ire), 128, f, 4, Zoffany (Ire)–Ecoutila, by Rahy. (230,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd; B-Marston Norelands & Richmond Bloodstock (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. €20,000.
3–Too Soon To Panic (Ire), 128, f, 4, Gleneagles (Ire)–Scream Blue Murder (Ire), by Oratorio (Ire). O-Cayton Park Stud & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore & Drakenstein Stud Pty Ltd (IRE); T-Fozzy Stack. €10,000.
Margins: 4, 1HF, NK. Odds: 4.50, 9.00, 7.00.
Also Ran: Champers Elysees (Ire), Roca Roma (Ire), Valeria Messalina (Ire). Scratched: Iva Feeling (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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