Babouche, surrounded by winning connections, after success in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh. (Breandán Ó hUallacháin photo)
At The Curragh
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
CO. KILDARE, Ire.—Babouche won the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh, Co Kildare, Ireland, on Saturday.
Carrying the colours of Juddmonte Farms, the juvenile daughter of Kodiac was a length and a half winner for trainer Ger Lyons and rider Colin Keane.
Sent to post the 5/2 second favourite in a field of five for the €350,000 contest over six furlongs, Babouche, a full-sister to Zarink was fulfilling the hopes of her conditioner, who has always held her in high regard.
Speaking post-race, of the previous Group 3 winner, who today successfully stepped up to Group 1 level, Ger Lyons said:
“She learned more here [when winning the Anglesey Stakes on 10 July] than she did in Cork [on her debut on 14 June]. We wondered if she was good enough today and she’s answered that in spades. At the minute I’d say it will be the Cheveley Park [at Newmarket next month] and that will be her done for the year.”
The runner-up Whistelejack (8/13 favourite), a chesnut son of No Nay Never, came into the race having been succesful over both five and six furlongs on good to soft and soft ground, whoever, today’s official going of good to firm, good in places possibly did not fully suit the second-placer, under Ryan Moore.
Arizona Blaze (16/1) was third for handler Adrian Murray, jockey David Egan and owners AMO Racing Limited & Giselle De Aguiar.
Givemethebeatboys wins Group 3 Sprint
Givemethebeatboys (6/1) was a popular winner of the Group 3 FDB Hotels and Resorts Heritage Hotel Phoenix Sprint Stakes for Jessica Harrington and rider Shane Foley, in the colours of Brosnan Racing and the Exors of the Late Theresa Marnane.
In a competititve six-furlong contest, there was less than one length covering the first four past the winner’s post, as race favourite Kind Of Blue (11/4 favourite) was runner-up for English handler James Fanshawe and jockey Daniel Muscutt.
My Mate Alfie (14/1) was another half-length back in third for the Ger Lyons and Colin Keane team, while 16/1 chance Big Gossey was fourth home, a further short-head back for rider Robert Whearty and handler Charles O’Brien, son of the legendary trainer Dr Vincent O’Brien.
Double for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore
Aidan O’Brien, began the Saturday card at The Curragh with an early double courtesy of Delacroix and Ides Of March.
Delacroix, by Dubawi, was an impressive winner of the Trainor Stone and Tile Irish EBF Maiden under main Ballydoyle jockey Ryan Moore. The half-brother to Grateful, a fromer Group 3 winner, Delacroix was 2/5 favourite to win on debut.
Owned by the Coolmore partners, Delacroix was a length and three-quarter winner over stablemate Acapulco Bay (6/1), another son of Dubawi, ridden by Wayne Lordan. Dante’s Lad (14/1), trained by Aidan O’Brien’s son and former Breeders’ Cup-winning rider and trainer, Joseph, claimed the third spot three-quarters of a length further back.
Commenting on the winning Delacroix, Aidan O’Brien said:
“We were delighted with him the first day – he’s still very green. Ryan (Moore, jockey) said he had a hold of him in the stalls, as they were held a long time. When he let him go, he just went up. It’s just greenness, he’s still babyish. He’ll be a middle-distance horse.”
Ides Of March (evens favourite) brought up the O’Brien, Moore and Coolmore partners double when taking the Revamp Conservation and Restoration Irish EBF Maiden over six furlongs.
This was another 1-2 for the Ballydoyle team, as Monumental (14/1) passed the wire in second position, in the hands of Wayne Lordan. Lunigiana (7/1) was third for handler Willie McCreery and jockey Nathan Crosse.
Donnacha O’Brien’s Falling Snow impresses on debut
Adian O’Brien and Ryan Moore were denied a treble in the third race on the programme, when the Ballydoyle trainer’s younger son, Donnacha, got on the score sheet courtesy of the regally-bred Falling Snow (7/2).
A daughter of Justify out of the former Aidan O’Brien-trained top-class mare Winter, Falling Snow battled on the outside of the Aidan O’Brien-conditioned Ballet Slippers – another blueblood filly being by Dubawi out of 12-time winner Magical – holding off the 8/13 favourite and Ryan Moore by a neck.
Celtic Motif (20/1) brought up a 1-2-3 for the O’Brien family, as the Joseph O’Brien-conditioned daughter of Saxon Warrior, in the hands of Dylan Browne McMonagle, claimed third place, five lengths behind the runner-up at the winning line.
Discussing Falling Snow with the media after her impressive win, Donnacha O’Brien admitted:
“She was very impressive. We put her in here at the deep-end – she did it nicely so she is obviously smart. She did everything right today – she travelled really well and she pricked her ears on the line, so hopefully she’s smart enough.
“She’s big and rangey. I kind of had it in my head that we’d give her two runs this year. We’ll now look at those mile races here and then put her away for the year. I think she’s more a three-year-old.”
