Fast ground had led to the withdrawal of the Irish One Thousand Guineas
scorer Marvellous, and that, alongside the reluctance of last year’s winner
Ambivalent in the preliminaries, casts doubt over the form of Sunday’s Group 1
Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. What it did produce was a first win at the
top-level for Lady Rothschild’s six-year-old Thistle Bird and rider George
Baker.
Entering this on the back of a repeat success in the Princess Elizabeth at
Epsom June 6, the 4-1 shot was settled in fourth early and, after looming to
Venus de Milo with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, asserted to score in uncomplicated
fashion by 2 3/4 lengths.
“This ranks right up there with my achievements,” trainer Roger Charlton
said. “When you see a filly who has had problems and was just short of Group 1
class prior to this deliver in a smooth way it is hugely satisfying.”
Having won three listed contests and finished runner-up in the Celebration
Mile at Goodwood in 2012, Thistle Bird could have been rushed off to the
paddocks, but connections believed there was more to come, and she rewarded
their faith with a first pattern-race win in the 2013 Princess Elizabeth. Two
unplaced efforts followed, but so did a close-up second in the Nassau at
Goodwood in August and a third in Longchamp’s Prix de l’Opera on Arc day, and
again the decision was made to persevere in the chase for the ultimate prize.
After the cobwebs had been blown away with a return sixth in York’s Middleton
Stakes over an extended 10-furlong trip May 15, the homebred notched another
Princess Elizabeth with a customary game performance with no bells attached.
That enduring blue-collar attitude was always going to stand her in fine stead
as she sought a vital win in this category, and her level head was in contrast
to the antics of the 2013 heroine Ambivalent, who had to be led behind the
starting gates after planting herself.
Traveling easily in the race taking a tow from that rival and two others, she
was perfectly poised as Joseph O’Brien sent Venus de Milo to the front with
three furlongs remaining in a bid to maintain Aidan O’Brien’s 100 percent
sequence through the card. Hanging tough in front, Venus de Milo was
nevertheless a sitting duck for the winner, who was being coaxed alongside by
Baker. Given one tap with the whip approaching the furlong pole, she responded
gamely with a surge to seal the result there, and received just one more light
stroke inside the final yards from her rider, unperturbed by the momentous
occasion.
“We’ve discovered that first time out each year she runs a bit fresh and
keen, and she was at York behind Ambivalent,” Charlton explained. “I’d say today
was four or five lengths up on Epsom. She was second in the Nassau Stakes, and
that might be the plan again (at Goodwood August 2). At one stage, I thought we
might have to travel abroad to win one of these, but it may not be necessary to
do that now. We’ll pick and choose and take our time with her.”
Although settling for second in the feature, Ballydoyle swept the trio of
Group 3 races on the undercard — I Am Beautiful in the Grangecon Stud for
juvenile fillies, defending champion Ernest Hemingway in the Curragh Cup and
Mekong River in the International Stakes.
I Am Beautiful was beaten 20 lengths by Jeanne Girl when 10th in a
soft-ground maiden over this track and six-furlong trip on debut May 24, made
significant progression to finish fourth behind “TDN Rising Star” Queen
Nefertiti in a maiden over an extra panel at Leopardstown June 12. Soon towing
the field up the stand’s rail as Jeanne Girl shadowed her in second Sunday, she
kicked a couple of lengths clear under Seamie Heffernan approaching the
quarter-pole and held on gamely to score by a short head from her old rival and
the closer, Quinta Verde, in a three-way go.
In doing so, she provided freshman sire Rip Van Winkle with a first
black-type win and a one-two finish.
“She was showing us a bit at home and when she ran very disappointingly first
time, it was at the time when a few in the stable weren’t right,” Heffernan
explained. “She then ran a satisfactory race and Joseph (O’Brien) said she might
want (to step) up to a stakes race, and this race came along.”
I Am Beautiful is out a daughter of the great racemare and producer Miesque,
and is a half-sister to champion Rumplestiltskin, the dam of Group 2 winner and
Group 1-placed Tapestry. She is also a half to the dam of stakes winner and
Group 1-placed Wild Wind.
Ernest Hemingway, who was the comfortable winner in a hot renewal of last
year’s Curragh Cup, followed up in the Ballyroan at Leopardstown, but was a
moderate third in the Irish St Leger Trial back here in August. Sixth in the
Irish St Leger over this track and 14-furlong trip next time, he was not beaten
far when eighth to Certerach in the March 29 Dubai Gold Cup on seasonal bow.
Held up in midfield as Tarana clocked sedate early fractions in this European
return, the eventual winner crept closer from the top of the stretch to the lead
with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and was ridden out to get back to winning ways.
Certerach, likewise making his first start back from Dubai, was second.
“I was quite unlucky on him in Dubai when they went slow, and I never got a
clear shot at it,” explained rider Joseph O’Brien. “He loved the (good to firm)
ground today and got the trip well. It was a bit of a messy race — we didn’t go
quick early on, but he’s done it nicely. His ideal conditions are lovely, quick
ground, and that’s the key to him because his wheels seem to spin when the
ground is slow. I think he’s a stayer that can progress.”
Mekong River was successful in the Eyrefield Stakes over nine furlongs at
Leopardstown in early November, but his attempt for a five-timer in the
Criterium de Saint-Cloud six days later resulted in a fourth-place finish. He
was still in the classic frame when returning for the May 10 Lingfield Derby
Trial. Running blind there after his blinkers slipped over his eyes, he was back
on track when second to stable companion Adelaide attempting pillar-to-post
tactics in the Gallinule over this course and 10-furlong distance last time May
25.
Up to lead again here, the bay was headed by the strong-traveling older horse
Parish Hall at the quarter-pole, but fought back with vigor pinned against the
fence to regain the advantage with 100 yards to race.
“Our horses seem to be getting it together now and, like most of Galileo’s,
he doesn’t know when to give up,” Heffernan commented. “His run in France was a
bit flat, but he’s strengthened up well and goes on any ground.”
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