Ethical Diamond shines. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Classic Saturday; Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1)
Irish-bred pays $57.40
Sets new Del Mar Track Record for 1-1/2 miles on turf
Breeders’ Cup Release
DEL MAR, Calif. – H O S Syndicate’s Ethical Diamond (IRE) ($57.40) launched a huge run from the back of the pack to post a 1 ¼-length victory over two-time race winner Rebel’s Romance (IRE) to capture the 42nd running of the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) for 3-year-olds and up at Del Mar Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Dylan McMonagle, Ethical Diamond completed the 1 ½ miles on firm ground in a course-record 2:25.45. It is the first victory in the World Championships for both trainer and jockey.
Longshots Silawi (IRE) and Rashabar (IRE) set the pace through fractions of :23.22, :47.53 and 1:11.99 as Rebel’s Romance received a ground-saving trip behind the leaders with Ethical Diamond having only two horses beat in the field of 14 going down the backstretch.
Approaching the far turn, the leaders began to retreat as favored Minnie Hauk (IRE) hit the front with Rebel’s Romance right on her heels after exiting traffic. Meanwhile, Ethical Diamond was coming with a six-wide move at the head of the lane and blew past the leaders to secure the victory.
Ethical Diamond is a 5-year-old son of Awtaad (IRE) out of the Areion (GER) mare Pearl Diamond (GER). The victory was worth $2,600,000 and boosted Ethical Diamond’s earnings to $3,121,001 with a record of 15-5-1-1.
Quotes:
Winning jockey Dylan McMonagle (Ethical Diamond (IRE) – “We decided to get back (in the field) and get him to relax, waiting for a bit of luck. Thankfully, halfways, the gallop was strong and it give me a good chance to finish, but once I was able to angle out off the turn, I was just pushing the button, and the way he went and he bolted up the lines.”
On riding for Mullins: “Always, you’ve always got a chance. One hundred precent. He’s a different class: jumps, flat, anywhere around the world. He turns up every time and he had the horse in good order. A massive thanks to the team, and well done the connections as well.
On winning this after being champion jockey in Ireland this season. “This is an extra. It’s great to top off a year that we’ve had. It is unbelievable, so I must thanks to everyone who deserves it.”
Second and third-place trainer Charlie Appleby (Rebel’s Romance (IRE) and El Cordobes (IRE)) – “Both ran well. Delighted with them. I’m just glad Willie Mullins doesn’t train too many flat horses. A little bit of (traffic) for Rebel’s Romance, but in fairness, I don’t think it made that much difference, really, as the winner’s picked up well, hasn’t he.
They’ve gone hard fractions. You couldn’t fault him around there, really. Will’s had to take back and come around a little bit probably at the business end where I’d say I would have liked to have kicked, but the winner’s picked up, there was no beating him. El Cordobes always puts forth a good effort and again really ran well. He’ll be a really nice going forward, old El Cordobes, won’t he?”
Second-place jockey William Buick (Rebel’s Romance (IRE)) – “Beautiful trip, the trip we wanted and the trip we worked out beforehand, but (stuff) happened. Look, I’m so proud of this horse. You’d love to have seen him win, of course, but he ran his heart out. He’s so consistent. He had a beautiful trip and he laid it down today. I did think for a second we had it, but he’s ran a good race and it’d be lovely to see him carry on.
“The pace was nice and even throughout the race. Lovely, even gallop. You’d imagine from where I was sitting it was ideal for us, but I guess the winner was a closer. A good run, and I don’t think we have any complaints.”
Fourth-place jockey Rossa Ryan jockey (Amiloc (GB)) – “He’s ran an absolute screamer. It was a rough race as there was a lot of pressure on us throughout. Definitely would have gotten second if had got a better run in the race. Rebel’s Romance was right on him all the way. We stayed on strongly to the line. He’s enjoyed traveling and didn’t mind the ground. He deserves a seat at top table now running in these major racing and he’s thrived off the traveling.”
Sixth-place trainer Aidan O’Brien (Mini Hauk (IRE)) – “They just went very fast, and she just got trapped out a little bit. I think she’ll stay (in training) next year.”
Sixth-place jockey Christophe Soumillion (Mini Hauk (IRE)) – “She never really settled, and when I asked her to take some blows, she never took it. So, I think she just over-raced today.
“The tempo was on, we got good pace. And for sure with that start, I was hoping not staying three deep the whole way. I was happy behind Mickael (Barzalona on Goliath (GER)), and when we made our moves in the first strait, he goes beside the leaders, and I stayed there.
She was trying to go a bit early.
“I don’t know if you could say this race today was too much, but she wasn’t like she was last time in Longchamp.,She was a little bit more nervous today and the race didn’t suit us. When Silawi (IRE) starts to get tired before the last corner, it makes myself and Mickael have to come on the bridle a little bit early. But she never responded like she used to do I think she over raced the main problem. She didn’t have the nice blow like she could have sometimes.”
