Aidan O'Brien completed a classic double when his charge Hermosa made all to win the Group 1 Qipco 1000 Guineas the day after the team's Magna Grecia landed the colts' classic over the same course and distance. This time it was Wayne Lordan in the saddle and the pair beat fellow Irish raider Lady Kaya by a length. That Sheila Lavery-trained bay was ridden by Robbie Colgan.
The unbeaten Group 3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes winner Qabala was sent off as favourite for the mile test but had to settle for third, a neck behind Lady Kaya but a head in front of Angel's Hideaway. Each of the second, third and fourth look likely to do well anywhere in the six-to-eight-furlong range as their careers progress. Fairyland and Just Wonderful, stablemates of the winner, took fifth and sixth with both looking set for potentially different types of campaigns as the year progresses. The former, a Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine by noted speed influence Kodiac (by Danehill) holds entries in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes but also in the six-furlong Commonwealth Cup and five-furlong King's Stand Stakes. She merely kept on in the final furlong – which could have been partly due to it being her first outing of the year – but Just Wonderful stayed on strongly, as you might expect of a Dansili-sired descendant of Urban Sea whose entries include the Investec Oaks, Ribblesdale Stakes and Darley Irish Oaks.
Hermosa also holds entries in those three races, and she is an ante-post market leader for the Epsom classic. Being a Galileo full-sister to the Group 1 stars Hydrangea and The United States gives her every chance of staying 12 furlongs, but there is also a chance on pedigree that around 10 furlongs could be as far as she wants to go. The United States got his Group 1 win over 10 furlongs in Australia and Group 2 successes there over 12 and a half furlongs and a mile. Hydrangea won the Group 1 British Champions Filly & Mare Stakes over 12 on soft at Ascot and the Group 1 Matron Stakes over a mile at Leopardstown. However, half-sister Fire Lily (by Dansili), who was runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac and Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, was a triple Group 3 winner over six furlongs. Their dam, Beauty Is Truth (by Pivotal), won the Group 2 Prix du Gros Chene over five at Chantilly, grandam Zelding (by Warning) won the Group 3 Prix du Bois and finished fourth in the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp over that same trip, and that mare's siblings include the pattern-winning sprinters Nipping (by Night Shift) and Zipping (by Zafonic). The latter also finished fourth in Rock Of Gibraltar's 2000 Guineas. If you go back another step on the page then you will find that this is the family of star sprinter-miler Last Tycoon (by Try My Best). In short, Hermosa's ability to stay beyond 10 furlongs will depend on whether she inherited her dam's speed contribution or the stamina element that can appear in that line – Caerleon (by Nijinsky) and Mill Reef (by Never Bend) are the sires of her third and fourth dams. She was a Group 3 scorer over seven furlongs at two, runner-up in both the Group 1 Fillies' Mile and Group 1 Criterium International, and has now won the 1000 Guineas in promising style, so she is clearly a filly of considerable talent and potential. Hermosa has run eight times now but it should be noted that she won her classic a day before reaching her physical third birthday and that suggests there could still be plenty of improvement to come from her. She is an exciting prospect for the season ahead and has a pedigree that could also see her excel at stud when that time comes.
The Ger Lyons-trained four-year-old Who's Steph put up an impressive performance at Gowran Park this afternoon to take the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes by eight lengths. The daughter of Zoffany (by Dansili) was a dual Group 3 scorer in 2018 and looks set for further pattern success before long.
Those prior good wins came over seven and eight furlongs, today's success was over nine and a half furlongs, and she was a half-length runner-up to Cimeara in a 12-furlong listed contest at Cork on her seasonal reappearance last month. Her final start of 2018 saw her finish a three-quarter-length second to Eziyra in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes over 10 at the Curragh. The grey was bred in Ireland by Patrick Headon, she is a €40,000 graduate of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, and she carries the famous colours of George Strawbridge. Her entries include the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and Group 1 Juddmonte Pretty Polly Stakes.
Who's Steph is the second foal and second multiple winner out of Llew Law (by Verglas), a mare who was placed at up to 13 furlongs but whose siblings include the stakes-winning sprinter Hototo (by Sleeping Indian). The next dam is the middle-distance French winner Harlem Dancer (by Dr Devious), who was listed-placed over 12 furlongs, and the third dam is Hymenee (by Chief's Crown), the final foal of Group 1 Criterium de Pouliches winner and Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) runner-up Hippodamia (by Hail To Reason). Hymenee's siblings include Housatonic (by Riverman), who is the dam of Group 2 Prix Niel scorer Housamix (by Linamix) and Grade 1-placed stakes winner Housa Dancer (by Fabulous Dancer), the latter also notable as being the dam of the pattern winners Bushman (by Maria's Mon) and Grand Vent (by Shirocco).
The strength of the form of this year's Listed Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes remains to be seen, but it would be hard not to have been impressed by the manner in which Maqsad cruised home in the 10-furlong contest, beating Shambolic by five lengths. She is now one of the ante-post favourites for next month's Group 1 Investec Oaks at Epsom.
The William Haggas-trained bay carries the colours of Hamdan Al Maktoum having been bought by Shadwell for €775,000 as a foal in Goffs at the Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal. The daughter of Siyouni (by Pivotal) is the second foal of the stakes-placed middle-distance winner Amerique (by Galileo) and her grandam is the multiple Group 1 star Aquarelliste (by Danehill).
Maqsad is clearly a filly of considerable potential, one who looks likely to win at the highest level before long, but there is a slight doubt over her ability to stay the Oaks trip. Her dam stayed, that mare's half-sister Ame Bleue (by Dubawi), a Group 1-placed stakes winner, was Group 3-placed over the distance, as was their half-sister Artiste Divine (by Peintre Celebre). Arc-placed grandam Aquarelliste won the Group 1 Prix Vermeille over 12, as well as the shorter Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) and Group 1 Prix Ganay, and she is a full-sister to dual US 10-furlong Grade 1 scorer Artiste Royal who was a blacktype-placed winner over the mile and a half. So, you might ask, what's the problem? She is a daughter of a leading French sire, one whose current fee at Haras de Bonneval stands at €100,000, but what we know of him so far is that he appears to be passing on the speed influence rather than a stamina one, and that could see his exciting young filly come there cruising a quarter-mile from home at Epsom only to falter in the final furlong. Siyouni's classic and multiple Group 1-winning daughters Ervedya and Laurens are top milers, with the latter showing that she can handle 10 and a half furlongs when she landed last year's Group 1 Prix de Diane. Volta was third in another edition of that classic but is a Group 1-placed mile Group 2 scorer, Finsbury Square is a Group 2 winning sprinter, and notable offspring such as City Light, Le Brivido, Siyoushake, Souvenir Delondres, Spectre, and Trixia have all shown their speed somewhere in the five-to-eight-furlong range. That is not to say that Siyouni will not get a top performer over 12 furlongs – and it should be noted that his son Hayabusa One (out of a Green Tune mare) was a three-quarter-length runner-up in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes over that trip last year – but just to note that the doubt is there. With the consistent amount of middle-distance stamina in the distaff side of her pedigree, Maqsad could be the one to make the 12-furlong breakthrough for Siyouni, but if she's not then she could become one of the 10-furlong stars of her age group.
The Mark Johnston-trained Communique caused a surprise at Newmarket today when making all to win the Group 2 Roaring Lion Jockey Club Stakes at odds of 12/1. The four-year-old son of Casamento (by Shamardal) was well clear during part of the race and stayed on well to hold off Defoe by a length and a quarter.
The winner's stable companion Mildenberger finished a further two and a quarter lengths adrift in third, with race favourite Coronet another two lengths back in fourth on what was a disappointing seasonal reappearance for that John Gosden-trained mare. Communique has now won six of his 18 starts. The former handicapper got his first blacktype success when beating Barsanti by a neck in the Listed Mukhadram Godolphin Stakes over the same course and distance in late September, just over a week before he chased home Laraaib in the Group 3 Stella Artois Cumberland Lodge Stakes on soft ground at Ascot.
The chestnut colt was bred by Godolphin and he is by the now Sunnyhill Stud-based sire of last year's Group 2 Prix de Royallieu scorer Princess Yaiza. The stallion began his career under the Darley banner, spending three years at Kildangan Stud and two at Dalham Hall Stud, then did one season at Ljungstorps Stud in Sweden before taking up his current position in Ireland this year. Communique is the best of several winners out of Midnight Line (by Kris S). She won the Group 3 Prestige Stakes and Group 3 May Hill Stakes as a juvenile, beat Leggera by eight lengths in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes first time out at three, finished third to Shahtoush in the Group 1 Oaks at Epsom, and later had a good season in the USA, winning the Grade 2 Long Island Handicap over 12 furlongs at Aqueduct and earning placings in the Grade 1 Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap and Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes. Midnight Air (by Green Dancer), the grandam of Communique, won the Group 3 May Hill Stakes by three lengths but was disqualified after passing the post in front of Culture Vulture in the Group 1 Filies' Mile 17 days later. Although that rival went on to become a classic star at three, Midnight Air disappointed and managed just a pair of listed-race placings from six starts at three. Communique holds entries in the Group 1 Investec Coronation Cup and Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes and it will be interesting to see how highly he can climb in the rankings by the end of the year. Like his sire, he could eventually have a career ahead of him as a National Hunt or dual-purpose stallion.
Leading sprinter Mabs Cross made a winning return to action when getting up near the line to beat Equilateral by a neck in the Group 3 Zoustar Palace House Stakes at Newmarket. The Michael Dods-trained mare also won the race in 2018 before going on to Group 1 success in France.
Paul Mulrennan was in the saddle, as he was when the daughter of Dutch Art (by Medicean) beat Judicial by a neck in the 2018 edition of the race. That rival finished only seventh this time around. Today's runner-up, a Charles Hills-trained son of Equiano, came there cruising with over a furlong to run and was only headed near the line. He was in receipt of weight from the winner, who had a Group 1 penalty, but looks capable of picking up pattern-race compensation before long. The Kevin Ryan-trained Major Jumbo was another one and three-quarter lengths back in third with a further half-length back to the three-year-old and race favourite Sergei Prokofiev, representing the Aidan O'Brien team.
Mabs Cross is an early June foal, she was bred by Highfield Farm Llp and made just £3,000 as a yearling at the DBS November (Yearlings & Horses-in-Training) Sale in 2015. Her siblings include multiple sprint winner Eccleston (by Acclamation) and the talented filly Charlie Em (by Kheleyf) whose best win came in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes over a mile at Hollywood Park in 2013. Miss Meggy (by Pivotal), her dam, won the Listed Hilary Needler Trophy over five furlongs at Beverley as a juvenile and was later successful over a quarter-mile farther, and she is the best of several winners out of Selkirk Rose (by Pips Pride) who won over five furlongs at Carlisle and over six at Nottingham. Mabs Cross, whom Timeform rated 118 last year, holds entries in the Group 2 Armstrong Aggregates Temple Stakes at Haydock and Group 1 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. She is an admirable performer, should play a prominent part in the best five-furlong events of the year, and it will be fascinating to see how she eventually fares as a broodmare. Her sire is a classic and July Cup-placed dual Group 1 star whose 34 stakes winners also include the Group 1 sprint stars Slade Power and Garswood, and like both the latter and his now-deceased sire Medicean (by Machiavellian), he is a member of the team at Cheveley Park Stud.
Aidan O'Brien reached a remarkable landmark at Newmarket this afternoon when saddling Magna Grecia to win the Group 1 Qipco 2000 Guineas, the trainer's tenth winner of the mile classic. It was a second consecutive win in the race for jockey Donnacha O'Brien, and a second Group 1 success for the horse.
Magna Grecia, a son of the Irish National Stud stallion Invincible Spirit (by Green Desert), was the stable second string with Ryan Moore partnering the 9/4 favourite Ten Sovereigns. Both colts were Group 1 stars last year but neither had run since their top-level win and the favourite, who showed a touch of brilliance over six furlongs, was not guaranteed to get the trip. It is a pity that the field split into two groups especially as it seemed that the trio racing on the stands' side may have had an advantage. They finished first, second and sixth in the 19-runner contest. That said, Magna Grecia beat 66/1 King Of Change by two and a half lengths with a further gap of one and three-quarter lengths back to third-placed Skardu, who had a head and the same to spare over Madhmoon and Ten Sovereigns. The recent listed scorers Shine So Bright and Kick On were another half-length and the same back in sixth and seventh. Each of this septet remains a colt of potential, with the runner-up – a second-crop son of Farhh (by Pivotal) – giving the impression that he may have run an excellent trial for the Group 1 Investec Derby. Ten Sovereigns, whose pedigree does give him a chance to stay a mile, seems likely to drop back in trip following this defeat and may be seen next in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs at Royal Ascot in June, and a possible clash with the equally exciting Calyx.
Magna Grecia got some short ante-post quotes for the Investec Derby after his Group 1 Vertems Futurity Trophy victory and after today's classic success, but although he does have the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby among his entries, he is not currently engaged in the Epsom classic. The distaff side of his pedigree gives him a chance to join Born To Sea and Allied Forces as being a rare Invincible Spirit who stays 12 furlongs in top company, but post-race interviews with connections indicated that a campaign at around a mile is the likely plan of action. He is in both the Group 1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas and Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes. Invincible Spirit, a Timeform 121-rated six-furlong Group 1 winner whose dam, Rafha (by Kris), won the Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks), is long established as being one of the best stallions in Europe. His 18 Group 1 stars feature standouts such as Charm Spirit, Kingman, and Moonlight Cloud, and his early stallion sons include Lawman, I Am Invincible, and Kingman, which augurs well for the eventual prospects of Magna Grecia. His new classic hero is a half-brother to a couple of winners out of Cabaret (by Galileo), a former Ballydoyle trainee who won a Curragh maiden and the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown, both over seven furlongs at two. Her half-brother Drumfire (by Danehill Dancer) won the Group 3 Solario Stakes over that same trip and half-brother Ho Choi (by Pivotal) was a blacktype scorer over the distance in Hong Kong, but there is plenty of stamina to be found if you go back a bit farther on the page. Grandam Witch Of Fire (by Lear Fan), a blacktype-placed winner over seven furlongs, is a half-sister to several middle-distance winners and one who scored over two miles – as well as to a prolific sprinter – and she is out of the Lomond (by Northern Dancer) mare Fife. That one got her blacktype when third in a 10-furlong listed contest at Goodwood but was later placed at 14 furlongs at York. However, more notable about Fife is that she was a half-sister to the talented stayer El Conquistador (by Shirley Heights) and to the dam of the Group 1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (by Efisio), and that her two-mile winning dam was a half-sister to the Group 1 Irish St Leger scorer Mountain Lodge (by Blakeney). Magna Grecia, who was bred by Woodnook Farm Pty Ltd and made 340,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, is a Timeform 116p-rated mile Group 1 winner at two who has gone on to become a classic star at three. There is a good chance that he will double-up with classic victory at the Curragh and every reason to hope that he will be able to hold his own when he takes on his elders later in the year.
Beau Recall added another good performance to her résumé when winning the Grade 2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes on firm ground at Churchill Downs this evening. Now aged five and trained by Brad Cox, the daughter of former Tally-Ho Stud stallion Sir Prancealot (by Tamayuz) beat Got Stormy by a length and a quarter, with Daddy Is A Legend a head back in third.
Victory looked unlikely as the field swept into the straight but the mare produced a sustained run that took her from last to first to record a second career win at this level. That prior victory, in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes of 2018, came when she was trained by Simon Callaghan. The previous summer she lost out by a nose to Dream Dancing in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks over nine furlongs. All of this is quite a leap forward on her two-race juvenile season in Ireland when, for trainer Adrian McGuinness, she finished fifth in a Fairyhouse maiden before taking a seven-and-a-half-furlong claimer at Tipperary. Her original trainer had secured her for just €17,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. There was plenty of other European interest in the Churchill Downs race as fourth place went to the former Andre Fabre-trained stakes winner Environs (by Dansili), with 2017's Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) heroine Precieuse (by Tamayuz) fifth, and former Marco Botti-trained Grade 1 scorer Capla Temptress (by Lope De Vega) seventh. Botti is also the former trainer of German Group 2 sprint winner Raven's Lady (by Raven's Pass) who was ninth, whereas the last horse home was the Irish-bred mare Take These Chains (by Fastnet Rock).
Beau Recall's sire began his stallion career in Ireland but did not return to Europe after the 2017 southern hemisphere season and now resides at Cornerstone Stud in South Australia. The mare represents his first crop as do the Group/Grade 2 scorers Madam Dancealot and Sir Dancealot and the pattern-placed stakes winner Pepita. She was bred by Tom Wallace, is out of the multiple mile to 12-furlong winner Greta D'Argent (by Great Commotion), and has several successful siblings. Fortinbrass (by Baltic King) got all but one of his eight wins over six furlongs whereas Coolminx (by One Cool Cat) won five times from five to seven furlongs and earned some valuable blacktype when runner-up in a six-furlong listed contest at York. Her first two foals are already winners. Greta D'Argent's half-brother Winged D'Argent (by In The Wings) won the Listed Further Flight Stakes over 14 furlongs and was placed in both the Group 2 Henry II Stakes and Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, and their dam Petite-D-Argent (by Noalto) won over six at Newmarket and seven at Epsom. Beau Recall is a credit to all of her connections. It will be fascinating to see how her eventual broodmare career turns out, especially if she remains in North America.
The Irish National Stud's flag bearer Invincible Spirit (by Green Desert) completed an international big-race double today when, just hours after his son Magna Grecia won the Group 1 Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in England, Digital Age landed the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs.
He beat the Grade 3 scorer A Thread Of Blue (gave 2lbs) by three-parts of a length with favourite Social Paranoia a head back in third. That pair are members of the Kiaran McLaughlin and Todd Pletcher teams respectively, whereas fourth-placed Seismic Wave is with Bill Mott. The going was described as firm. The Chad Brown-trained three-year-old has won all three of his starts to date, including a mile listed contest at Tampa Bay Downs in early March, and although he still has a lot of progress to make to be up to that standard, it would be no surprise to see him line up for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November. The Irish-born colt was bred by Merry Fox Stud Ltd, he is a 325,000gns graduate of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, and he comes from a famous family. His fifth dam is the outstanding racehorse and influential broodmare Time Charter (by Saritamer).
Digital Age is the first foal of Willow View (by Lemon Drop Kid), an unraced half-sister to the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and Group 3 Albany Stakes winner Cursory Glance (by Distorted Humor). It is a little surprising that filly is her dam's only successful runner from her first six foals of racing age. That mare, Time Control (by Sadler's Wells), is a winning full-sister to the Group 2 Prix de Mallaret and Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Time On and they are out of Time Away (by Darshaan) who won the Group 3 Musidora Stakes at York in 2001 before going on to take third place in both the Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) and Group 1 Nassau Stakes. Time Away is the best of seven winners among 11 offspring produced from Not Before Time (by Polish Precedent). Those siblings include the Group 1 Prix de Diane runner-up Time Ahead (by Spectrum) and also Original Spin (by Machiavellian), the dual winning dam of the talented Japanese horse Incantation (by Sinister Minister). That grandson of Old Trieste (by A.P. Indy) won 11 times in a lengthy career, including Grade 3 contests at Nakayama, Niigata and Kyoto, he was runner-up in the Grade 1 February Stakes at Tokyo, was best at eight and nine furlongs, and took up stallion duties at East Stud earlier this year. As a daughter of Oaks, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Coronation Cup, and Champion Stakes heroine Time Charter, the unraced Not Before Time is a half-sister to five blacktype horses and related to many more. Her half-brother Zinaad (by Shirley Heights), for example, won the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes and later sired the Group 1 1000 Guineas, Group 1 Oaks and Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes heroine Kazzia. That achievement could take on additional significance should Digital Age earn a berth at stud, especially given that the early Invincible Spirit stallions feature Lawman, I Am Invincible, and Kingman. Not Before Time's half-sister Time Allowed (by Sadler's Wells) also won the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes, stakes-placed By Charter (by Shirley Heights) became a broodmare of note, and so did Time Saved (by Green Desert), one of the siblings who failed to earn any blacktype. By Charter is the dam of the Group 2 Lonsdale Stakes winner and Group 1 Irish St Leger third First Charter (by Polish Precedent), Group 2 Prix Hocquart winner and Group 1 Deutsches Derby third Anton Chekhov (by Montjeu), and listed scorer and Group 1 Derby Italiano runner-up Private Charter (by Singspiel). She is also the grandam of Group 2 Lowther Stakes heroine Best Terms (by Exceed And Excel) and third dam of Italian Group 3 scorer Faciascura (by Oratorio). Time Saved, on the other hand, is responsible for the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes winner Plea Bargain (by Machiavellian), Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes winner Lay Time (by Galileo), and juvenile listed scorer Jira (by Medicean). A pedigree like this makes Digital Age a particularly interesting member of the current three-year-old crop racing in North America. He is clearly effective at today's trip of eight and a half furlongs and it would not be a surprise to see him handle 10 furlongs well.
Serengeti Empress, a second-crop daughter of Pin Oak Stud stallion Alternation (by Distorted Humor), made all to win the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. The Thomas Amoss-trained bay, who was partnered by Jose Ortiz, passed the post one and three-quarter lengths clear of Liora, with a further five-and-a-half-length gap back to third-placed Lady Apple.
The favourite Bellafina could finish only fifth, one place and four and a quarter lengths ahead of juvenile filly champion Jaywalk who has now disappointed three times since her impressive Breeders' Cup victory.
Serengeti Empress won the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at Fair Grounds in mid-February – with Liora again the runner-up that day – and her two runs preceding her disappointing Breeders' Cup effort were wins achieved by an aggregate margin of 33 lengths. The first of those was the Ellis Park Debutante Stakes over seven furlongs in August and the second was a 19-and-a-half-length score in the Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at Churchill Downs a month later. She is the best of several stakes winners for Alternation, a Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap and Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes winner from the family of Grade 1 sire Broken Vow (by Unbridled), now a veteran member of the team at Pin Oak Stud in Kentucky. The filly was bred by Tri Eques Bloodstock Llc, she cost owner Joel Politi $70,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and has already earned over $1 million in prize money. She is the first foal of Havisham (by Bernardini), who is an unraced daughter of Argentine Grade 3 scorer Love Dancing (by Salt lake), and her third dam is the Grade 1-placed dual Grade 2 winner Le Midi (by Fitzcarraldo).
Boardsmill Stud stallion Mount Nelson (by Rock Of Gibraltar), whose progeny include the Group 1-winning sprinter Librisa Breeze, added a second top-level flat winner to his tally when Entropia sprang a surprise in the Grade 1 Gran Premio Criadores over 10 furlongs at Palermo, in Argentina, last night.
The Jorge Meyrelles-trained three-year-old stayed on well to beat favourite Seas Alabada by a length with City And The Sex a nose away in third and a four-length gap back to the fourth, Valentina Pop. The winner was a 98/1 shot.
Entropia, who was unplaced in a Grade 1 contest over a furlong farther on turf last month, was bred by Haras Rodeo Chico and the mid-August-born bay is out of Embrace Her (by Editor's Note). That mare's string of siblings includes the stakes-placed Embrace Liza (by Lizard Island) and also Embrace Moi (by Ride The Rails), the dam of 2011 Argentine Horse of the Year and four-time middle-distance Grade 1 star Expressive Halo (by Halo Sunshine). Mount Nelson, whose offspring also include the European Group 2 scorers Berkshire, Boscaccio, and Highlands Queen, plus National Hunt Grade 1 star Penhill, was a top-class performer at eight to 10 furlongs. He began his stallion career at Newsells Park Stud in England but is now in his third season at Boardsmill Stud in Ireland. He was rated 125 by Timeform as a four-year-old, when he won the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes, and he comes from the family of Timeform 139-rated champion and dual classic star Reference Point (by Mill Reef). |
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