By Sean Cronin
Nailed in the dying strides of last month's G2 Railway S. at The Curragh, Aidan O'Brien trainee Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never–Muirin {Ire}, by Born To Sea {Ire}) bounced back in style to lead home a Ballydoyle exacta in Sunday's G2 Darley Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly. In so doing, he provided trainer O'Brien with a first winner of the six-furlong contest this century and, adding to Rossini's win in 1999, a second overall. The February-foaled bay had earlier backed up an Apr. 28 debut triumph at Dundalk with wins at the Curragh in the May 2 Listed First Flier S. and May 21 G3 Marble Hill S. and preceded his Railway second with a fourth in the June 14 G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot. Blackbeard shared pacemaking duties on the front end from the outset. Gaining outright control passing the quarter-mile pole, the 6-5 favourite was not for catching thereafter and kept on strongly under mild urging inside the final furlong to easily outpoint stablemate The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) by three lengths for a career high. Listed Prix La Fleche runner-up Vicious Harry (Fr) (Harry Angel {Fr}) fared best of the remainder and was a further three lengths back in third.
“He's a nice horse and he won easy, very easy,” commented rider Ioritz Mendizabal. “Before and after the race he was not so easy, but in the race he was easy, and next time I will speak with Ryan [Moore] beforehand. When we hit the front he went a little bit left, but normally that is because they are a little bit babyish. It's incredible for me to ride for Aidan [O'Brien], my agent got me the ride and then I spoke with Aidan this morning. If Aidan wants to bring him back to France, I will be free every time.”
O'Brien added, “He's coming forward as he was a baby all along and I was delighted with him. Even though he was babyish today, Ioritz was very impressed with him. He said he's gone very professional and won very easy. He's definitely progressing. We wanted to divide them up, with Little Big Bear running at the Curragh yesterday, and he's now in the mix for the [G1] Phoenix Stakes or the [G1] Prix Morny.” Reflecting on the performance of runner-up The Antarctic, the trainer continued, “We were very happy with The Antarctic. He's coming along as well although he's probably still not really there yet, but he's definitely progressing.”
Blackbeard, one of his sire's 21 pattern-race winners, is the first foal bred from Muirin (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}), whose own dam Girouette (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) collected the G3 Phoenix Sprint S. and is also the second dam of Listed Prix du Grand Camp-winning Polish champion Night Tornado (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). Blackbeard's stakes-placed third dam Vassiana (Fr) (Anabaa), whos decsendants include dual Group 3 winner Max Vega (Ire), is a full-sister to G3 Prix d'Arenberg victrix Villadolide (Fr) and Listed Prix Hampton and Listed Prix du Cercle scorer Victorieux (Fr). The next dam Domludge (Lyphard) is a half-sister to multiple elite-level winner and G1 Prix de Diane heroine Mrs Penny (Great Nephew {GB}) and a full-sister to G3 Prix Vanteaux third Cadeaux d'Amie (Lyphard), herself the dam of multiple Group 1-winning 1000 Guineas heroine Hatoof (Irish River {Fr}). Muirin has a yearling full-sister to Blackbeard to come.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
DARLEY PRIX ROBERT PAPIN-G2, €130,000, Chantilly, 7-17, 2yo, 6fT, 1:08.31, gd.
1–BLACKBEARD (IRE), 128, c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Muirin (Ire), by Born To Sea (Ire)
2nd Dam: Girouette (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Vassiana (Fr), by Anabaa
(270,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Newstead Breeding LLC (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ioritz Mendizabal. €74,100. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 6-4-1-0, €174,740. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Antarctic (Ire), 128, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Anna Law (Ire), by Lawman (Fr). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (750,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Magnier, Tabor, Smith, Westerberg & Brant; B-Bally Philip Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €28,600.
3–Vicious Harry (Fr), 126, c, 2, Harry Angel (Ire)–Umneeyatee (Aus), by Encosta de Lago (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€28,000 Ylg '21 ARQOCT). O-Cuadra Mediterraneo; B-Medya SARL & Tarik Tekce (FR); T-Mauricio Delcher Sanchez. €13,650.
Margins: 3, 3, NO. Odds: 1.20, 6.80, 7.80.
Also Ran: Belbek (Fr), Lova (Fr), Bottle Of Bubbles (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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