Dubai Fillies’ Mile

(Group 1)

AIDAN O’Brien carried all before him at Chantilly and the master of Ballydoyle continued in the same vein on the first day of the Future Champions meeting at Newmarket yesterday when Rhododendron landed the Group 1 Dubai Fillies’ Mile from stable-companion Hydrangea.

Put bluntly, the two Galileo fillies annihilated the opposition.

Spatial led towards the centre with Hydrangea taking the stands’ side group along, but once Ryan Moore asked Rhododendron for her effort she cruised between horses and quickly went clear to beat Hydrangea by just over two lengths, with the willing but outclassed Urban Fox six lengths away in third.

The money came quite late for the winner, who was returned at 5/2 joint-favourite. Punters initially found it difficult to choose between the Ballydoyle pair because Rhododendron had finished behind Hydrangea when they were second and third in the Moyglare at the Curragh, but Moore was guided by the trainer and his choice counted for plenty in the final analysis.

“Rhododendron is a very good filly and has really progressed,” O’Brien said. “We were a bit confused by her run in the Moyglare but Ryan said he was very happy with her today. The other filly was very tough in the Moyglare and in her previous race. Both of them are healthy and happy and the lads will decide about a possible trip to America for the Breeders’ Cup.”

Rhododendron was a truly remarkable 19th Group 1 winner for O’Brien this year, in a campaign which has netted over £6.5m in prize-money, while Galileo must now be regarded as not merely the most important sire of his generation but quite possibly the most influential stallion of all time.

“Rhododendron was a bit babyish when she won at Goodwood but I was still impressed by her,” Moore observed. “Today she travelled beautifully into the race and I didn’t have to ask her, she just took me through the gears.

“She hung a little bit last time but was right back to her best here.”

Odds of 10/1 for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas were the going rate afterwards. There is no telling what ammunition Ballydoyle will have come the big day but Rhododendron certainly put down a marker and none of those behind will be looking to take her on again.