By Tom Frary
The Curragh's three-day Irish Derby fixture is more often than not the place to discover future Classic contenders at first glance and Friday's Kildare House Hotel Irish EBF Fillies Maiden looks to have played host to two potentially top-class daughters of Frankel (GB) in Lake Victoria (Ire) and Red Letter (GB). In a thrilling finale to the seven-furlong contest between the regally-bred debutantes, it was the former who edged it to earn TDN Rising Star status and make Ballydoyle's cup run over when it comes to exciting 2-year-old fillies.
The pick of Ryan Moore of the stable's duo in the maiden won 12 months ago by Frankel's G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Ylang Ylang (GB), Lake Victoria was keen early tracking the leaders having broken from the widest stall. Seizing the advantage two out with a dramatic split of just over 11 seconds, the daughter of the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) gave a further equally dazzling surge to the furlong marker to take command and win the contest there and then.
Juddmonte's Ger Lyons-trained Red Letter, a relative of Etoile Montante (Miswaki), had been caught up in traffic in behind and delivered an impressive flourish to almost join the other 5-2 joint-favourite on the line, but a head separated the newcomers there as they pulled 3 3/4 lengths away from Senna's Girl (Ire) (Arizona {Ire}). The sectionals told just how impressive the front two had been here. Lake Victoria came home in 33.7 seconds for the final three furlongs, while Red Letter managed 33.33. Lake Victoria's winning penultimate split was 10.96, while the runner-up surged to the line with a last furlong in 11.29.
With Aidan O'Brien already in charge of last week's Royal Ascot stunners, Lake Victoria has work to do to get up the formidable pecking order but is undoubtedly a high-class prospect in her own right. “She was showing lovely work at home, but it was her first day out and first day at the track, so you'd have to be very happy with her–Ryan was very happy with her,” he said. “She was green and Ryan said he didn't mean to send her on as early, but when she went there she started pricking her ears and waiting.”
“He said he had to make her get down and do it, but he said she still had her ears pricked going to the line, that's always a good sign,” he added. “Obviously she'll go into one of the good fillies races. She has loads of speed, they didn't go very fast but she still travelled very well and quickened very well. I think probably on to the [G3] Silver Flash or something like that. Obviously depending on where some of the other fillies will go and see what the lads want to do.”
This is TDN Rising Star number 40 for Frankel, with his tally including this race's winner in 2023 Ylang Ylang (GB), Nashwa (GB), Onesto (Ire), Homeless Songs (Ire), Snow Lantern (GB), Quadrilateral (GB), Veracious (GB) and Saturday's Listed Chesham Stakes-winning sensation Bedtime Story (Ire).
Frankel x Quiet Reflection
Named after the largest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria makes a winning debut for team @Ballydoyle @curraghrace 🏞️ pic.twitter.com/XW4rcKNjQN
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 28, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Quiet Reflection, who also captured the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes, G3 Cornwallis Stakes, G3 Prix Sigy and G3 Renaissance Stakes, produced a quick return on Coolmore's 2.1million gns outlay at the 2017 Tattersalls December Sale by producing as her first foal the G2 Dante Stakes-placed Bluegrass (Ire) by Frankel's sire Galileo (Ire). Also responsible for Galileo's The Equator (Ire), who takes part in Sunday's Irish Derby here, her yearling colt is again by Frankel.
2nd-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 6-28, 2yo, 7fT, 1:24.21, gd.
LAKE VICTORIA (IRE), f, 2, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Quiet Reflection (GB) (MG1SW-Eng, GSW-Fr, GSW-Ire, $926,853), by Showcasing (GB)
2nd Dam: My Delirium (GB), by Haafhd (GB)
3rd Dam: Clare Hills (Ire), by Orpen
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $12,845. O-Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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