By Tom Frary
Godolphin's Saturday at York had started in ideal fashion and got better as TDN Rising Star Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) came back to near his peak over his favoured trip in the seven-furlong G2 Sky Bet City of York S. Last year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero had needed his European return when fourth in Goodwood's G2 Lennox S. July 27 and was kept away from the frantic speed duel up ahead anchored towards the rear by William Buick. Making smooth progress wide to take control passing the two-furlong pole, the 11-8 favourite employed his superior speed from there to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), with another Godolphin runner in Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) a neck away in third. “He settles well in his races nowadays, but the loose ground on top was a bit of an unknown–it's shifting a bit beneath the horses–and he was struggling with it early on,” Buick explained. “When he changed gear and lowered himself, he really found his stride. The Lennox didn't work out as we hoped it would and he was entitled to come on for that run. I think he is quick enough for six furlongs, but I'm not sure that he is at his best over that distance. A stiff six on good or softer ground might suit but, when you look through his form, the best of it is over six and a half and seven.”
Space Blues, whose record at this distance reads seven wins from 10 starts, had continued his winning sequence in Riyadh's 1351 Turf Sprint Feb. 20 but lost his sheen of invulnerability when only ninth in the six-furlong G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Mar. 27. Charlie Appleby was happy to see him back to his smooth-travelling best here and said, “We were very pleased with Space Blues, who went into the race as the one to beat and did it nicely. The aim now will be to go straight to the [Oct. 3] G1 Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend. We have tried to get him to that race for the last couple of years, but hopefully we can get a clean run with him this time.”
The dam Miss Lucifer (Fr) (Noverre) was also at her best over seven furlongs, winning the G2 Challenge S. and Listed October S. at the trip. She is also responsible for the four times group-winning Shuruq (Elusive Quality), who is in turn the dam of the GIII The Very One S. winner and the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. runner-up Antoinette (Hard Spun) and the GIII Jimmy Durante S. runner-up Javanica (Medaglia d'Oro). This is the family of the G1 Premio Roma heroine High Hawk (Ire), who is renowned as the dam of the triple group 1-winning Breeders' Cup Turf hero and leading sire In the Wings (GB), the G1 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters (Kingmambo) and the G1 Matron S. heroine Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Miss Lucifer has the unraced 3-year-old filly Beautiful Future (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Dark Angel (Ire).
Saturday, York, Britain
SKY BET CITY OF YORK S.-G2, £213,000, York, 8-21, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:22.60, gd.
1–SPACE BLUES (IRE), 132, h, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Miss Lucifer (Fr) (GSW-Eng, $193,403), by Noverre
2nd Dam: Devil's Imp (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: High Spirited (Ire), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £120,792. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-Fr at 5-7f & G1SW-Fr, 17-9-3-1, $1,313,807. *1/2 to Shuruq (Elusive Quality), Hwt. Older Mare-UAE at 7-9.5f, MGSW-UAE, GSW-Tur & GSP-Eng, $658,709. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Highfield Princess (Fr), 129, f, 4, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Pure Illusion (Ire), by Danehill. (29,000gns RNA Ylg '18 TATDEY). O/B-Trainers House Enterprises Ltd (FR); T-John Quinn. £45,795.
3–Glorious Journey (GB), 132, g, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Fallen For You (GB), by Dansili (GB). (2,600,000gns Ylg '16 TATOCT). O-HH Sheikha Al Jalila Racing; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £22,919.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.38, 8.50, 8.50.
Also Ran: Sir Busker (Ire), Safe Voyage (Ire), Pogo (Ire), Fivethousandtoone (Ire), Primo Bacio (Ire), Lord of the Lodge (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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