By Sean Cronin
Craig Bernick's twice-raced maiden Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify–Data Dependent, by More Than Ready) went postward as an unconsidered 66-1 outsider for Saturday's G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF S. at the Curragh and pounced late in the one-mile former Flame Of Tara S. to secure a first win of any kind. The January-foaled bay debuted with a fifth over six furlongs at the Co. Kildare venue in May, but slipped to 12th when upped to seven at the same track in June last time. The eventual winner settled off the pace in rear through halfway. Coming under pressure to close approaching the quarter-mile marker, she quickened smartly to launch her challenge out wide with 100 yards remaining and kept on in impressive fashion from there to win by 1 1/4 lengths going away from Shelton (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).
“She ran well here [on Irish] Guineas weekend and we always knew she wanted further,” said winning trainer Fozzy Stack. “The ground was then lightning fast here on the Friday of [Irish] Derby weekend and she just didn't let herself down on it. We'll see whether we run her again [this year] or not.”
Aspen Grove, the third pattern-race winner for her first-crop sire (by Scat Daddy), is the first foal out of GIII Jimmy Durante S. runner-up Data Dependent, herself kin to G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) and Listed Denford S. victor Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Her second dam Daneleta, who ran third in the G3 Railway S., is the dam of G1 Dewhurst S.-winning sire Intense Focus (Giant's Causeway). Aspen Grove's third dam is Listed Athasi S. and Listed Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. victrix Zavaleta, herself kin to G1 Gran Criterium hero Sholokhov (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who is also the dam of Daneleta's G3 Noblesse S.-winning full-sister Danelissima (Ire). Data Dependant has also produced a yearling colt by No Nay Never and a weanling full-brother to Aspen Grove.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
NEWTOWNANNER STUD IRISH EBF S. (FLAME OF TARA S.)-G3, €65,000, Curragh, 8-27, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:40.75, gd.
1–ASPEN GROVE (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Data Dependent (GSP-US, $136,670), by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Dane Street, by Street Cry (Ire)
3rd Dam: Daneleta (Ire), by Danehill
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Craig Bernick; B-Glen Hill Farm (IRE); T-Fozzy Stack; J-Mark Enright. €39,000. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-0, $39,284. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shelton (Ire), 128, f, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Raas, by Iffraaj (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (10,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 26,000gns Ylg '21 TATSOM; 150,000gns 2yo '22 TATBRE). O-Martin Schwartz; B-Sportsdays Ltd & Hamad Al Jehani (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey. €13,000.
3–Eternal Silence, 128, f, 2, War Front–Princess Highway, by Street Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (KY); T-Jessica Harrington. €6,500.
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, 1. Odds: 66.00, 2.25, 12.00.
Also Ran: Dame Kiri, Maybe Just Maybe (Jpn), Caroline Street, La Dolce Vita (Ire), Evening's Empire (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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