Lake Victoria captures the Moyglare Stud (Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
Lake Victoria (11/1) caused an upset in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland, on Sunday afternoon.
Stable companion of the odds-on favourite, Bedtime Story (4/5), Lake Victoria gave her successful handler Aidan O’Brien a tenth victory in the seven-furlong race for two-year-old fillies.
Running at the rear of the select five-runner field, Lake Victoria and jockey Wayne Lordan bided their time before making a determined challenge on the outside halfway down the home stretch.
With all eyes on her half-sister, Bedtime Story – both fillies are by Juddmonte Farms’ stallion Frankel – the Coolmore-bred and Michael Tabor-owned filly held off the late challenge of the English runner Simmering (17/2), ridden by County Donegal rider Dylan Browne McMonagle, by a length and a half.
Exactly (20/1), another stable mate of the winner, and also by Frankel, was third under Declan McDonagh, a further short-head back, while another Frankel filly, Red Letter (7/2), carrying the Juddmonte Farms’ colours was fourth for trainer Ger Lyons and jockey Colin Keane, a head behind the third placed finisher.
The punters’ choice pre-race, Bedtime Story, ridden by Ryan Moore, disappointingly faded to finish last of the field, having make too much of an early effort at the front of the race.
For the winning rider, Wayne Lordan, it was a seventh Group 1 victory, and his first since winning the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh in 2020 aboard the now-retired Magical.
The winner, Lake Victoria, owned by the Coolmore partners and running in the colours of Westerberg, maintains an unbeaten start to her career, and is three from three, having previously won a maiden at The Curragh on debut, and the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes for fillies at Newmarket, England, last month.
Speaking to the media in the winner’s circle after another Group 1 win, Aidan O’Brien said:
“She’s a very good filly. She won here first day (in June). She got to the front and was very green. Her pace took her there and she won. She went to Newmarket and Seánie (Levey) won on her, she won very impressively. She’s a very classy filly.”
The Ballydoyle handler continued:
“We thought she’d be second to the other filly (Bedtime Story) but Ryan’s filly just hit the gates and he just couldn’t get her back. That was it but she’ll be grand. It’s always a worry, after what she did in Ascot, that that could happen and we took her very gentle the next twice, afraid that it could happen but it still happened.
“We’ll go round the way and work another way to get her to go to sleep again. Wayne (Lordan) actually rides her out all the time so he will do that hopefully.”
As usual Aidan O’Brien was quick to deflect praise, instead wishing to applaud the efforts and dedication of the winning rider, Wayne Lordan:
“Wayne is a great fella. Does a lot of work, day-in, day-out at home. He’s a great rider, unbelievable rider. We’re so lucky to have him after (his injury in last year’s) Irish Derby.”
Lake Victoria, out of the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Quiet Reflection (by Showcasing), is a three-quarter sister to the Group 2-placed Bluegrass. She is a 35th Group 1 victory for Juddmonte Farms’ Frankel and a first for Whitsbury Manor Stud’s Showcasing as a broodmare sire.
