Bringing the Harzand (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) standard to this St Leger trial, TDN Rising Star Idaho made his class tell in a performance that had the Doncaster Classic written all over it. Beaten three times by The Aga Khan's champion elect, the bay needed a confidence boost especially as his last two defeats at the hands of that compatriot came in the cauldron events of the June 4 G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh three weeks later. On the latter occasion, there was just a half length to spare between them and for a short spell it even looked as if Idaho would master him so he was due a freshener and this reintroduction was never going to be a true barometer of his ability. Anchored in last early, the bay was allowed to coast by Seamie Heffernan as stablemate Housesofparliament set an honest gallop to test the stamina of the home brigade. He may have been idling when given a couple of slaps passing the two-furlong pole and there was no questioning his resolution as he responded by working his way past the leader with 150 yards remaining. From there, his effort had the hallmark of another to win the oldest Classic for the operation in Milan (GB) and the form looked solid with Across the Stars ultimately well beaten even allowing for his the three-pound penalty as a result of his exploits in the G2 King Edward VII S.
With the Sept. 10 St Leger now looking a one-sided affair with the likes of Red Verdon (Lemon Drop Kid) needing to improve past Idaho to win, it is hard to see another scenario other than connections celebrating a third English Classic in just over three weeks' time. “He had solid form and we expected him to all take the beating,” his jockey said. “We expect him to improve a bit for it too.” Aidan O'Brien added, “He had a tough race in the Irish Derby and had a little break after, so he was only ready to start again here with an eye on the [Sept. 10] St Leger. We wanted to let him relax, so you'd have to be very happy. He might go up to a mile and six, but he travels very well so may not go further than that and could come back to a mile and a quarter. Jamie's horse [Housesofparliament] ran a blinder and he said he stays very well.”
Idaho's dam Hveger, who was placed in the G2 South Australian Oaks and G2 Schweppes Oaks, alsmot pulled off a remarkable double on Wednesday when this winner's full-brother Highland Reel (Ire) just failed to land the fixture's feature. Highland Reel had already taken this esteemed southern hemisphere family into the heights in the northern part by winning the GI Secretariat S., G1 Hong Kong Vase and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. and the Ballydoyle duo's half-sister Valdemoro (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) can hardly be called a poor relation having finished second in two group 1 contests in Australia. Hveger, who has three more Galileo offerings to follow Idaho, with 2-year-old and yearling fillies–the former being named Cercle de la Vie (Ire)–and a colt foal, is a full-sister to Elvstroem (Aus), nicknamed “Elvis” in Australia and one of the country's outstanding performers of recent times with five group 1 wins headed by the Caulfield Cup and Victoria Derby. Also out of the G1 Australian Oaks heroine Circles of Gold is Haradasun (Aus), winner of the G1 Doncaster H., G1 George Ryder S. and the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot for this stable. This is also the family of Starspangledbanner (Aus), who followed the latter's lead by winning at the highest level in both hemispheres, and the G1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas heroine Amicus (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).
Wednesday, York, Britain
BETWAY GREAT VOLTIGEUR S.-G2, £160,000, YOR, 8-17, 3yo, c/g, 12fT, 2:29.41, g/f.
1–#@IDAHO (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Hveger (Aus) (MGSP-Aus), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Circles of Gold (Aus), by Marscay (Aus)
3rd Dam: Olympic Aim, by Zamazaan (Fr)
(750,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Hveger Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan. £90,736. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng & Ire, 7-2-2-2, $728,481. *Full to Highland Reel (Ire), G1SW-Eng, HK & US, G1SP-Aus & Fr, $3,545,594; and 1/2 to Valdemoro (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), MG1SP-Aus, $337,006. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Housesofparliament (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Sharp Lisa, by Dixieland Band. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor; B-Smithfield Inc (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £34,400.
3–Across the Stars (Ire), 129, c, 3, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Victoria Cross (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). (600,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Saeed Suhail; B-Hascombe & Valiant Studs (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £17,216.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1 3/4, 4HF. Odds: 0.80, 6.00, 4.50.
Also Ran: Harrison (GB), Imperial Aviator (GB), The Major General (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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