Snow Fairy Annexes Darley Irish Oaks |
| Last Sunday, July 18th, the Curragh racecourse in County Kildare, Ireland, saw 15 fillies assembled at the start for a crack at the Darley Irish Oaks (Gr.1), run over 2,400 m. The good to yielding ground was a worry for some but Epsom Oaks victress Snow Fairy could not have cared less, proving to belong in a different class to her rivals by skipping to an easy victory. Trained in England by Ed Dunlop, who was winning his third Irish Oaks, the daughter of Intikhab was ridden, as she had been at Epsom, by champion jockey Ryan Moore. Ice Empress set a strong pace that ensured that the race would be the true test of stamina it is designed to be, while Moore kept his mount under wraps. Turning for home, Snow Fairy made her bid and settled the issue in a trice, checking in eight lengths clear. Fancied Meeznah, second at Epsom, appeared to dislike the conditions and finished fourth with the unheralded Miss Jean Brodie (33 to 1) and Lady Lupus (66 to 1) occupying the minor placings. Although the daughter of a specialist miler, out of a seven furlong winner who is also by a miler, Snow Fairy hails from a family replete with stamina. For the time being she is likely to remain amongst the distaff set, with the possibility that she might tackle open company in the autumn. Her next assignment would probably be a run in the Yorkshire Oaks (Gr.1) in August. Back in 1998, few at Coolmore would have imagined that Danehill Dancer, who was introduced by them to the breeding world at a fee of IR£3,000, would become champion sire in the British Isles, a feat which he achieved in 2009. This year has been a good one too, and the speedy son of Danehill strengthened his position on the table of leading sires by coming up with Air Chief Marshal (out of Hawala, by Warning), who annexed the 1,400 m. www.thetote.com Minstrel Stakes (Gr.3) the previous afternoon. The monopoly enjoyed hitherto by Aidan O'Brien in the juvenile department in Ireland is under serious threat. After his scintillating victory in the Jebel Ali Stables and Racecourse Anglesey Stakes (Gr.3) at the Curragh, the chief supporting event on Oaks day, the Kevin Prendergast-trained Dunboyne Express (Shamardal-Love Excelling, by Polish Precedent) seems to be the best Irish 2-y-o colt seen out this season. He trounced the evens favourite – and consistent yardstick – Samuel Morse (from O'Brien's yard) by eight long lengths. The winner's trainer was quoted as saying "he was very green on his debut at Leopardstown and has come on a lot since then”. Immediate targets for Dunboyne Express include the Phoenix Stakes (Gr.1) and the National Stakes (Gr.1). Quite possibly one of the best sprinters in the world is the British-bred Hungarian sensation, Overdose (Starborough-Our Poppet), bought by his owner, Zoltán Mikóczy by sheer chance (he was quoted as having said he put up his hand to bid "just for fun"). Recurring hoof troubles have kept the sprinting "freak" off the track for 15 months, as the racing world kept watching and waiting for his return. The word "freak" has been used advisedly as there is nothing in Overdose's pedigree to hint of sheer speed and by all accounts he is ugly! This 2,000 guineas Tattersalls December yearling purchase finally returned to action in a modest event in Bratislava, the picturesque capital of Slovakia – on the banks of the Danube – on July 18th. For a runner used to scoring by a dozen lengths, he was clearly well below his best, and only just able to retain his unbeaten record when his rivals closed menacingly. Still, the fact that he won is encouraging and he is sure to come on for the run. It may be recalled that Overdose had finished "first" in the Gr.1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp a couple of years ago but that race was declared void as some of the starting gates had not opened. Timeform had rated him then at 126+, an astonishing figure for one trained East of the Rhine. Incidentally this was the first effort for Overdose under the training of Jozef Roszival – in all his 12 previous runs, he was saddled by Sandor Ribarszki. Now a look at what’s happening at North America. The temptation to step off turf, on which he was a proven customer, for a crack at the Triple Crown trail proved too much for the connections of Paddy O'Prado (El Prado-Fun House, by Prized) earlier this year. They campaigned him in the spring with a measure of success on Polytrack (second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Gr.1) and on sloppy dirt (third in the Kentucky Derby, Gr.1). Following a dismal effort on firm dirt in the Preakness Stakes (Gr.1), the handsome grey returned to his favoured surface and has now reeled off two good wins on turf at Colonial Downs, the first in the Colonial Turf Cup (Gr.2) last month and now in the Virginia Derby (Gr.2) on July 17th. Trained by Dale Romans, the son of the late El Prado (by Sadler's Wells), could prove a worthy replacement for his late lamented sire, who died in 2009, when the time comes for his retirement to stud. Till then there are many good races to be won for the syndicate of Iowa-based owners who campaign the colt under the banner of Donegal Racing. The afternoon belonged, though, to the Spendthrift stallion, Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy-Macoumba, by Mr. Prospector). In Southern California, his daughter Sweet August Moon (out of Silent Academy, by Royal Academy) turned the tables on the odds-on public choice, Free Flying Soul, in the A Gleam Handicap (Gr.2) at Hollywood Park. Back on June 12th the latter had easily taken the measure of the former, so the reversal caused some surprise. The winner's trainer, Brian Koriner, felt the application of a tongue tie had gotten his excitable ward to settle down and thus be in a position to put her best foot forward. The Rancho Bernardo (Gr.3) at Del Mar next month has been pencilled in as a tentative target. One is tempted to think the moon will continue to wax just as sweetly in August! Meanwhile, across the continent, one of the bargain purchases of recent years, Life At Ten, a $35,000 yearling at the September Keeneland Sales, carried on her victory march in triumphant fashion. The daughter of Malibu Moon – Rahrahsixboombah (by Rahy) was claiming her sixth win on the trot when taking the richly-endowed Delaware Handicap (Gr.2) at Delaware Park from Miss Singhsix. With that, the Todd Pletcher-trainee almost doubled her career earnings, which now stand at $909,267. |
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