Fallen Angels with winning connections. (Photo By Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
THE CURRAGH, KILDARE, Ireland—Fallen Angel created an upset with victory in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh, and in the process gave her first-season sire Too Darn Hot a maiden Group 1 success.
The race over seven furlongs for two-year-old fillies was expected to see the unbeaten 1.5 million guineas daughter of Frankel, Ylang Ylang, enhance her reputation but the rain early in the day at the County Kildare racetrack dented her changes of winning.
The betting market favourite, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Ylang Ylany under jockey Ryan Moore, led the field until two furlongs from the wire. Fallen Angel and Vespertilio (who had finished second to Ylang Ylang in the Group 3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown in July), the eventual winner and runner-up, quickly seized their chances and moved clear of the remainder of the runners.
With the two leaders battling towards the winning post, the Karl Burke-conditioned two-year-old, winner of the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket last month, outstayed Willie McCreery’s runner to record a one and a quarter length victory, while Ornellaia, from the Dominic French Davis barn in England, finished four and a half lengths further back in third.
It was an emotional success for Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistic, who bred the filly, as he explained:.
“The mother (Anges Stewart) was my favourite mare and we lost her to colic, that’s her last foal and she is the spitting image of her, so emotional is an understatement.
“My daughter names all our horses and after the death of the dam she called her Fallen Angel. To win the Moyglare Stakes is unbelievable, the greatest thrill I’ve had in my life I think,” he added.
Winning jockey Daniel Tudhope was suitably pleased with Fallen Angel, and holds high hopes for her chances in next May’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, the first fillies’ classic of 2024.
“Fallen Angel jumped great and is a very straightforward ride,” Tudhope stated. “You can put her where you want in a race, she stays very well and I thought the last furlong would be her best furlong. She was very impressive. She deserves that and she’s just getting better and better all the time. She’s a beautiful big filly and she’s only going to improve. She has the Guineas written all over her.”
This Group 1 contest is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In race which offers a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The Moyglare Stud Stakes has been won in the past by fillies such as Tahiyra (winner of the Group 1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday), in 2019 by subsequent Investec Oaks and Darley Yorkshire Oaks winner, Love, and in 2015 by Minding, who went on to win the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Investec Oaks at Epsom the following year.
