By Tom Frary
On a day when Ballydoyle showed its strength, the regally-bred 3-year-old filly Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) brought up a treble for the team at Naas in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile. A full-sister to the high-class G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Minding (Ire), the February-foaled bay was sent off the 3-1 joint-second favourite and raced behind the early leaders under cover. Needing racing room in the straight, she was out in good time to carry Seamie Heffernan to the front a furlong from the finish before asserting to beat fellow newcomer New York Angel (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) by 1 1/4 lengths, with the G3 Flame of Tara S. runner-up Ahandfulofsummers (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a further half-length back in third. “That was a lovely start for her and she'll stay further,” Aidan O'Brien said. “Minding was unusual, in that she went from a mile to a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half and then back to a mile. Seamus was very happy with her. We didn't get her out last year. It was a bit of a mess with a few of them stopping and starting and she was one of them. She'll have an option now of going to Leopardstown for a Guineas Trial or waiting a bit longer.” The dam, who captured the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Matron S., was off to a flyer as a broodmare when producing as her first foal the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial winner Kissed by Angels (Ire) by Galileo. Her second offering was the aforementioned Minding, who apart from her Classic exploits also annexed the G1 Moyglare Stud S., G1 Pretty Polly S., G1 Queen Elizabeth II S., G1 Nassau S. and G1 Fillies Mile, Hwt. 3yo-Eng & Ire at 7-9 1/2f, Hwt. 2yo Filly-Eur, Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 9 1/2-11f, Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 9 1/2-11f, Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 7-9 1/2f, MG1SW-Eng, MG1SW-Ire, $3,213,340. Covered solely by Galileo, her 2019 and 2020 foals are both fillies.
7th-Naas, €14,000, Mdn, 3-28, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:54.36, hy.
EMPRESS JOSEPHINE (IRE) (f, 3, Galileo {Ire}–Lillie Langtry {Ire} {Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 7-9 1/2f, G1SW-Ire, G1SW-Eng, $1,361,940}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $9,913.
O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien.
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