PEDIGREES, BOOKS & RACING
  • Home
    • about
  • books

News

Last-stride win for Happen in the Athasi Stakes

6/5/2019

 
Happen came from a seemingly impossible position to grab the Group 3 Coolmore Gleneagles Irish EBF Athasi Stakes on the line at the Curragh. The Aidan O'Brien had little apparent chance of victory with even a half-furlong to travel but stayed on strongly to sweep past her rivals. Four-year-olds Dan's Dream and Rionach were second and third, beaten by a short-head and a neck.

This was her second win from five starts, it followed her two-and-a-quarter-length second to Lady Kaya in the Group 3 Ballylinch Stud "Priory Belle" 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown last month - also over seven furlongs - and it is clear that this daughter of outstanding Claiborne Farm sire War Front (by Danzig) is ready to step up in trip.

Her entries include the Group 1 Coronation Stakes over a mile, the ten-furlong Group 1 Juddmonte Pretty Polly Stakes, and both the Group 1 Investec Oaks and Group 1 Darley Irish Oaks over 12 furlongs.

Happen finishes with a wet sail to win the Coolmore Gleneagles Irish EBF Athasi Stakes in a photo finish for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien pic.twitter.com/waCNTFL5pc

— Horse Racing Ireland (@GoRacing) May 6, 2019

Her dam won that pair of classics by a combined margin of ten lengths then followed-up with a three-and-a-half-length score in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, but it is not guaranteed that Happen will stay that trip.

The best by her sire tend to be effective in the seven-to-ten-and-a-half-furlong range, and although her siblings include the pattern-winning stayer Alex My Boy (by Dalakhani), they also include Somehow (by Fastnet Rock).

That unfortunate filly won the Listed Cheshire Oaks, was narrowly beaten in the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes, but was well-beaten in both the Oaks and Irish Oaks. Her best form was from a mile to ten and a half furlongs and included a seven-length win in the Group 3 Snow Fairy Stakes over nine, a three-and-a-quarter-length score in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes over the same trip, and on her final run before an untimely death, she chased home Decorated Knight in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Happen could prove to be best in a similar range of distances, even if she does possess the stamina to perform well over the full Oaks trip.

Alexandrova's full-brother Masterofthehorse finished third to Sea The Stars at Epsom but their half-sister Magical Romance (by Barathea) – she could be described as being a three-parts sister – won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes over six furlongs as a juvenile and was well-beaten when tried over eight, ten and 12 furlongs at three.

Her speed was an exception to the general rule of the first few generations of the family, her blacktype-placed son Tall Ship (by Sea The Stars) stayed 12 furlongs, and her dam's siblings include the Group 2 Goodwood Cup runner-up Golden Quest (by Rainbow Quest), Group 3 Park Hill Stakes third Puce (by Darshaan), and also Sitara (by Salse), the 12-furlong-winning dam of Group 1 Melbourne Cup star Rekindling (by High Chaparral).

There are, of course, many other notable horses to be found in the first few generations of this well-known family. Happen clearly has plenty of ability but her ideal distance range may come down to what her sire has contributed to her genetic mix.

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    May 2019

    Sires & Winners

    All
    Alternation
    Anapurna
    Anthony Van Dyck
    Australia
    Bated Breath
    Beau Recall
    Broome
    Calyx
    Camelot
    Cape Cross
    Cartiem
    Casamento
    Castle Lady
    Communique
    Country House
    Crystal Ocean
    Dark Angel
    Dee Ex Bee
    Digital Age
    Dubawi
    Due Diligence
    Dutch Art
    Entropia
    Etoile (USA)
    Farhh
    Flop Shot
    Forest Ranger
    Frankel
    Galileo
    Good Vibes
    Hamariyna
    Happen
    Hazapour
    Hermosa
    Ickworth
    Invincible Army
    Invincible Spirit
    Kendargent
    Kingman
    Lah Ti Dar
    Lawman
    Le Havre
    Lookin At Lucky
    Mabs Cross
    Magical
    Magna Grecia
    Maqsad
    Mehdaayih
    Morando
    Mount Nelson
    Mustashry
    Nausha
    New Approach
    Persian King
    Plumatic
    Raa Atoll
    Roman Candle
    Sea The Moon
    Sea The Stars
    Serengeti Empress
    Shamardal
    Sir Dragonet
    Sir Prancealot
    Siyouni
    Stradivarius
    Tamayuz
    Tarnawa
    Telecaster
    War Front
    War Of Will
    Worth Waiting

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
    • about
  • books