REST OF THE CARD
JUST seven days on from running a good fourth in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, Van Beethoven returned to the fray to make it 13 victories for Aidan O’Brien in the Group 2 Gain Railway Stakes. The winner is owned by the Coolmore partnership.
In its recent history this race hasn’t been at all kind to horses who have run at Ascot, but the return to six furlongs looked certain to suit this Scat Daddy colt and he was the 10/11 favourite to give his trainer a second treble in as many days.
The race was a straightforward one for the market leader as Ryan Moore got him into full flight from some way out and Van Beethoven responded to lead over a furlong from home before a half-length triumph over the English raider Marie’s Diamond. Another English runner, Certain Lad, completed the placings.
“A stronger pace would suit him better. He galloped home well and we’re delighted with that. I’d say he could come back here for the Phoenix Stakes along with Sergei Prokofiev,” declared O’Brien.
BALLYDOYLE TREBLE
On an undercard that yielded a Ballydoyle treble, the O’Brien-trained Battle Of Jericho became the first three-year-old in 19 years to land the Tote Rockingham Handicap when he just held off Caspian Prince. The latter showed his customary dash as he looked to pull off a handicap success for the ages (he was running off a mark of 114) but inside the last furlong he succumbed to the Ryan Moore-ridden Battle Of Jericho.
The latter was dropping sharply in class from his unplaced run in the King’s Stand the previous week but a return to the big time could be in the offing for this War Front colt. As the line loomed, a rallying Caspian Prince was coming back but the well-backed 7/1 shot scrambled home by a short-head.
“He’s a fast horse and five furlongs on fast ground is what he wants,” commented O’Brien. “He was just a babyish for Ascot but learnt plenty from that and if he keeps stepping forward from here he could be a Nunthorpe horse. Ryan liked him quite a lot when he got no run in the Cornwallis Stakes last season.”
O’Brien and Moore promptly followed-up with another fast-ground-loving son of War Front as Fleet Review bounced back from an unplaced Commonwealth Cup run in the Dubai Duty Free Jumeirah Creekside Dash Stakes. The evens favourite came under pressure sooner than a number of his rivals in this six-furlong contest but he was also able to maintain a prominent position as others began to give way.
It seemed as though stablemate Intelligence Cross had secured victory when he burst through, but in another desperately tight finish Fleet Review edged the photo by a nose.
“At Ascot he just got hung up on a strong early pace but he was more comfortable today,” remarked O’Brien. “He’s a good horse – he was second in the Middle Park Stakes – and he’s big so he could well improve again. We’ll look at all the good sprints with him.”
Both horses are owned by the Coolmore partnership.
PROGRESSIVE
The progressive four-year-old I’m So Fancy (5/2) has pattern race company in her sights as she notched up her second listed success of the season in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Celebration Stakes. The daughter of Rajj, who carries the colours of Mrs Jim Nicholson, won the Silver Stakes at this track last month and had no trouble dropping down in trip to a mile.
Colm O’Donoghue was able to bring her off the rail to challenge with over a furlong to run and she showed a fine attitude to see off the front running Allegio by half a length. American Pharoah’s brother, St Patrick’s Day, shaped with promise to finish a further neck back on his first outing since winning a Del Mar maiden last September.
“I took a chance bringing her back to a mile but she’s run well over this trip before and they went very hard up front which suited her,” reflected Harrington. “She’s in the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes here on Oaks weekend but we’ll just see how she comes out of this.”
LYONS’ VICTORY
The debut success of Viadera in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Irish EBF Maiden was a momentous one for Ger Lyons on several fronts. Not only does the daughter of Bated Breath look like a cracking prospect for the months ahead but she was also the trainer’s first winner for owner Khalid Abdullah who has put horses in training with Lyons for the first time this year.
Viadera (15/2-11/2) was ridden patiently at the rear of the field and when Colin Keane switched her out to make her effort with well over a furlong to run she looked quite green.
However, when she became fully attuned to what was required from her, the filly flew home to nail fellow newcomer U S S Michigan in the final yards.
“I’ve been training for 25 years and to have those colours winning for us makes it a very proud day,” declared Lyons who was sending out just his second runner in the famous silks.
“She’s a filly we like and she’s going to want seven furlongs and a bit further. She hit the line strong and ran right down to the boards and there should be huge improvement to come from her. I’m always thinking of a stakes race next but she will tell me and we will take baby steps.”
Colin Keane ended the day with a double after Low Sunled home a one-two for Willie Mullins in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Champiosnhips Irish EBF Handicap over two miles. This Susannah Ricci-owned gelding, who won on the flat in France, turned a corner as a hurdler with a series of good runs at the Fairyhouse and Punchestown Festivals and he transmitted that progress back to the level.
The 100/30 favourite was never any worse than third and Keane – then sent him on with just under a quarter of a mile to run. The five-year-old was at his strongest over the last furlong as he finished out strongly to defeat Laws Of Spin by two and a half lengths.
The latter made a particularly encouraging return to action and will be a force in some maor staying handicaps through the second half of the season.
The form of her third in a stakes race at Killarney just under a year ago suggested that Petticoat could be quite well treated for the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises Summer Fillies Handicap and she duly won with plenty to spare. The Godolphin-owned filly raced on the pace for William Buick and from some way out it was apparent that she was running her rivals ragged. The 7/2 joint-favourite readily dealt with the effort of fellow market leader Most Gifted to score by two and a half lengths in a race where nothing else got closely involved.
“She’s a big, scopey filly which is why she stayed in training this season. She loves that ground and is a long striding filly and William let her build into the race gradually.
“She might head back to Killarney for a listed race in a couple of weeks,” stated Halford.
ACTING STEWARDS
F. Clarke, R. Dore, M.J. Doyle, M.C. Hickey, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
BOSTON BRUIN (Mrs J. Harrington): This son of Kodiac ran a pleasing race on his debut to take fourth in the maiden won by Viadera. He looked a likely winner at one stage and it surely won’t be long before he makes his mark in a maiden.