By Tom Frary
All of Aidan O'Brien's previous seven winners of this contest had been colts, but there is a sea-change in the way the famed operation is campaigning its fillies of late and Happily was able to overwhelm two TDN Rising Stars of the opposite sex and bring up a 21st group 1 for Ballydoyle in 2017 with this “Win And You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in early November. Seventh to stablemate and TDN Rising Star September (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) over seven furlongs at Leopardstown June 8, the bay had stayed at that trip subsequently and followed a maiden success at The Curragh June 30 with an impressive score in the G3 Silver Flash S. back at Leopardstown July 27. Second to Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh Aug. 20, she came forward from that run to reverse the placings in the final yards of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at the same track Sept. 10.
Forced into rearguard action early as Mythical Magic (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) sought to lead Masar at a generous tempo throughout the early stages, Happily never looked entirely at home on the soft ground and when TDN Rising Star Olmedo loomed between the Godolphin pair in early straight it looked as if she could be chasing a place at best. Ryan Moore knew what he had underneath, however, and as Olmedo battled with fellow TDN Rising Star Masar up ahead she was delivered to grind them down with 100 metres remaining and avenge the disqualification of her full-brother Gleneagles (Ire) in this three years ago. “She was already a group one winner over seven furlongs, so we were confident she would get the trip well,” Moore said. “We started racing a long way from home and she showed a great will to win. For a filly to beat the colts is a good thing for the future.”
Aidan O'Brien could send Happily to Del Mar now and said, “It was the lads who decided to run her against the colts, so it was a brave call. She's a tough, hardy filly and is a sister to Gleneagles. The fillies's allowance wasn't a disadvantage and she won well on the line. She showed she got the mile well so we think the [Juvenile] Fillies' race [at the Breeders' Cup] could suit her.”
Jean-Claude Rouget was taking encouragement from the performance of the runner-up and said, “He showed there that he is a very nice horse, but he is still a little bit tender and was forced to come a bit too soon which didn't help. He ran on very nicely at the end and we'll put him away for the season now and get him ready for the Classics as we did with Almanzor and Brametot.” Charlie Appleby said of the third-place finisher, “I think Masar will be a better horse on better ground. He's got bags of ability, but that will be it for this year. James [Doyle] said he didn't take the bend very well.”
Happily's second group 1 success adds further lustre to the record of her G2 Cherry Hinton-winning dam You'resothrilling, whose five runners from as many foals of racing age all by Galileo are all black-type performers. Chief among them is the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero Gleneagles (Ire), while the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Marvellous (Ire) is no poor relation along with the G3 C L Weld Park S. winner Coolmore (Ire) and this year's GI Secretariat S. runner-up Taj Mahal (Ire). You'resothrilling is a full-sister to the gallant and brilliant six-times group 1-winning champion and leading sire Giant's Causeway, with their respective dam being Mariah's Storm, herself the winner of six graded-stakes races and also the second dam of this year's G1 Irish Champion S. scorer Decorated Knight (GB) also by Galileo. She also has a 2017 colt by the same sire.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
QATAR PRIX JEAN-LUC LAGARDERE (GRAND CRITERIUM) SPONSORISEE PAR AL HAZM GROUP-G1, €350,000, CHY, 10-1, 2yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:38.51, sf.
1–HAPPILY (IRE), 122, f, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: You'resothrilling (GSW-Eng & Ire, $219,415), by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Mariah's Storm, by Rahy
3rd Dam: Immense, by Roberto
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale & Chelston Ireland (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €199,990. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, 6-4-1-0, €469,060. *Full to Gleneagles (Ire), Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 7-9.5f, Hwt, 2yo Colt-Ire, MG1SW-Eng & Ire & G1SP-Fr, $1,427,036; Marvellous (Ire), G1SW-Ire, $262,665; Coolmore (Ire), GSW-Ire & GISP-US, $238,593; and Taj Mahal (Ire), GISP-US & GSP-Ire, $272,354. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Olmedo (Fr), 126, c, 2, Declaration of War–Super Pie, by Pivotal (GB). (€100,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Ecurie Antonio Caro & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Dream With Me Stable Inc (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €80,010.
3–Masar (Ire), 126, c, 2, New Approach (Ire)–Khawlah (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. €40,005.
Margins: 1 1/4, SNK, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.40, 2.50, 3.10.
Also Ran: Woodmax (Ger), Mythical Magic (Ire), Francesco Bere (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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