Sunday’s Moyglare Stud Stakes Offered Automatic Starting Positions into the Breeders’ Cup World Championships
Breeders’ Cup Release
THE CURRAGH, Ireland – Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Mrs. John Magnier’s Lake Victoria dominated a high-class renewal of the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1), beating the sole British challenger, Simmering (IRE), by 1 1/4 lengths.
In the second Win and You’re In race of the day Lake Victoria (IRE) earned an automatic position into the $1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf (G1).
Well-fancied Bedtime Story (IRE), the impressive Royal Ascot-winning choice of Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien, lead the tightly bunched field of five until the furlong pole where she became hard-pressed by Simmering and Lake Victoria and faded to finish last.
Lake Victoria, an unbeaten daughter of Frankel (GB) and winner of the Jenningsbet Sweet Solera Stakes (G3) for O’Brien last time out, switched left and was ridden along under Wayne Lordan in the final furlong, moving from last to first in the last 110 yards and showing an impressive turn of foot.
Lordan said: “She’s a lovely filly. She has a bit of pace, she can quicken, and she got to the line well.
“I didn’t know whether she had the experience; Bedtime Story is after a good few runs now and she’s a hardy filly to get by. I was hoping for a big run and she stepped up on the day.”
The victory marks O’Brien’s tenth win in this 7-furlong Group 1.
Al Shaqab Racing’s Simmering, who relished the step up to 7 furlongs when impressively landing the Prix du Calvados (G2) by three lengths for Ollie Sangster on her most recent start, finished second withExactly (IRE) in third by a short head. Juddmonte’s Red Letter (GB),who was denied by the barest of margins by Lake Victoria on debut, finished fourth, beaten a head, under Colin Keane.
Lake Victoria covered 7 furlongs in 1:23:73 over a course listed as good.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the Challenge Series winners to start at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winners must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the Championships’ pre-entry deadline of Oct. 21 to receive the rewards.
