Sunday’s Ballysax S. (Ire-G3) was supposed to be all about the 1-4 favorite
John F Kennedy (Galileo), but Ballydoyle’s Derby (Eng-G1) principal proved a
major disappointment when trailing in last of three in this testing ground as
Success Days (Jeremy) led from pillar to post in an impressive display of
dominant front-running at Leopardstown.
Off the mark over seven furlongs at Gowran Park in August, the gray was too
free when fifth behind Parish Boy (New Approach) in the nine-furlong Eyrefield
S. here in October before returning to take a Cork conditions event over an
extended mile eight days ago.
Unconsidered by the betting public and possibly also by the riders of his two
opponents, Success Days had already been sent into a clear advantage by the end
of the back straight and was asked to kick off the turn. Drifting right there
and then darting left away from Shane Foley’s whip, he nevertheless maintained a
relentless momentum as John F Kennedy struggled and Zafilani (Azamour) stayed on
without threatening.
“I loved this horse all last year and he only just did enough at Cork last
week,” his rider commented. “He relishes this ground and I knew he’d stay well
and that there would be no pace on. He tried to run off the track and if he’d
gone straight, he’d have been even more impressive. There was a lot more in the
locker and it’s hard to know how good he is. He goes through that ground and it
feels easy to him.”
Connections may look at the Irish Derby (Ire-G1) at the Curragh June 27.
Proving that when a stable is hot, it’s hot, Stormfly (Dark Angel) brushed
aside her rivals in the Leopardstown One Thousand Guineas Trial (Ire-G3) to add
another notable success to the tally of Dermot Weld’s Rosewell House
establishment in 2015.
With only modest juvenile form behind her, having been third in the Coolmore
Stud Fillies’ Sprint S. over six furlongs at Naas in June and fourth in the C.L.
& M.F. Weld Park S. (Ire-G3) over this seven-furlong trip at the Curragh in
September, the gray needed to step up to figure in a contest of this nature but
had a vital recent run under her belt to aid her cause.
Sharpened by a win in a seven-furlong handicap at the Curragh March 29, she
was always traveling strongly near the pace and was eventually let loose inside
the final quarter-mile by Pat Smullen. Opening up instantaneously, Stormfly
dictated the closing stages as Devonshire (Fast Company) fought off her old
rival Military Angel (Big Brown) for the silver medal.
“The horses are in tremendous form, but I thought she would have to step up
to win this,” her rider said. “Race-fitness is a huge advantage in this ground,
but she has progressed too.”
Weld suggested that the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) at Longchamp May
10 is the main target for the Australian-owned bargain buy.
One race earlier, Weld and Smullen lifted the Leopardstown Two Thousand
Guineas Trial with the highly regarded Zawraq (Shamardal). Entered in
Newmarket’s Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1), Sheikh Hamdan’s homebred showed he is
well up to that standard with an impressive success in a solid renewal of this
prep.
Flaunting his obvious talent when defeating Ballydoyle’s Sir Isaac Newton
(Galileo) on his sole start over seven furlongs at this track in October, the
bay was the day’s worst-kept secret and was switched off early with two behind
after a smart break. Produced wide by Smullen in the straight, he swept aside
Endless Drama (Lope de Vega) with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining en route to an
impressive score.
“We thought a lot of him all last year and he is very laid-back and relaxed
at home, only doing what you ask of him,” his rider commented. “It was a messy
race, but he was very professional and just switched off and let the race come
to him. In my opinion, he needs to go up in trip and go the Derby route, but
that’s a decision for the boss and Sheikh Hamdan.”
In-form Weld echoed those thoughts afterwards.
“He’s a very good colt and did what I expected,” he said. “I’ll discuss
things with Sheikh Hamdan, as he has a lot of horses in England entered in the
Guineas and I’ve always considered him more of a Derby horse. He could wait for
the Derrinstown Derby Trial ([Ire-G2] on May 10). He’s the best of my
three-year-old colts and won what was in my opinion the best maiden in Europe
last year, beating the Aidan O’Brien horse that I have the highest regard for.
“He won’t be three for another couple of weeks and has a lot of physical
development to come, as we haven’t rushed him. He would never want it firm, but
the further he goes the better he’ll get. He has a gorgeous temperament and is
the most beautiful colt in every way — a smashing individual. He’s like a
middleweight boxer, he’s all action and is very powerful and strong with a lot
of speed and stamina.”
France
Godolphin’s Territories (Invincible Spirit) and Khalid Abdullah’s Mexican
Gold (Medaglia d’Oro) impressed in contrasting ways in Sunday’s two classic
trials at Longchamp.
Having started his career with a promising third behind the eventual Prix
Djebel (Fr-G3) winner Ride Like the Wind (Lope de Vega) over six furlongs at
Maisons-Laffitte in early July, Territories stayed at that trip to account for
the subsequent Prix Eclipse (Fr-G3) scorer Souvenir Delondres (Siyouni) at
Chantilly towards the end of that month. On the first of his two encounters with
Full Mast (Mizzen Mast) at this venue, the homebred wound up third in the
seven-furlong Prix la Rochette (Fr-G3) in September and was then in the same
spot before being promoted to second in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Fr-G1) over
the same trip on Arc day.
Held up early by Mickael Barzalona with one behind in Sunday’s Prix de
Fontainebleau (Fr-G3), the bay was produced out wide in the stretch as the
longtime leader Karar (Invincible Spirit) struck out inside the final
quarter-mile. Always looking to have that rival’s measure, Territories kicked
past with 150 meters remaining before asserting for a comfortable win to take
Andre Fabre alongside Etienne Pollet on nine renewals of this classic prep.
“He has done extremely well over the winter and won this very nicely,” his
trainer said. “He will now run in either the English or French Two Thousand
Guineas ([Fr-G1] May 10) but we will wait on the other trials and Sheikh
Mohammed will make the decision.”
In the Prix de la Grotte (Fr-G3), Mexican Gold translated her abundant
promise to pattern-race prowess with a last-gasp success in this vital prep for
the May 10 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1).
She already had the form of her debut success at Deauville in October well
advertised, having come home ahead of the Aga Khan’s impressive recent scorer
Sayana (Galileo), with other subsequent winners behind on her 7 1/2-furlong
debut. The homebred commanded respect here as a result partnered by leading
national hunt jockey Vincent Cheminaud.
Belying his lack of experience of the flat, the 22-year-old Grand
Steeplechase de Paris- winning jockey, who had ridden over the jumps at Bordeaux
the day before, orchestrated a perfect tactical ploy on the bay, who was
initially settled worse than mid-division as Penorka (Orpen) enjoyed a clear
early lead. Threaded through on the inner as the enterprisingly ridden longtime
leader started to come back to the field in the last furlong, Mexican Gold was
switched between that rallying filly and the favorite Vedouma (Dalakhani) in the
final meters and thrust through to win with a deal of authority.
“She is a lovely filly and to win that on only her second start was a good
performance,” the owner-breeder’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said.
“She received a good ride and the jockey was very cool, plus the strong
pace helped. All being well, she will return here for the Poule d’Essai des
Pouliches.”
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