By Tom Frary
As a heralded and unbeaten member of the dominant 2-year-old fillies' division entering Saturday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh, Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}–Pavlosk, by Arch) was always going to be a force to be reckoned with and in the event she was too much for Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) to handle in the first major clash of the sexes in this age group. Surrendering a length and a half from the gates to the Ballydoyle representative, the Ger Lyons-trained G3 Anglesey Stakes winner was visibly motoring under Colin Keane with that 8-13 favourite hassled on the front by old rival Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev).
Rolling by them both a furlong from home, the full-sister to the stable's multiple group winner Zarinsk (GB) surged away to win by 1 1/2 lengths as the 5-2 second favourite, with Arizona Blaze 1 3/4 lengths further back in third.
“The fillies are definitely well ahead of the colts this year and it's nice when they deliver,” Lyons said. “We wondered if she was good enough today and she's answered that in spades.”
Babouche may even lay claim to being the best that her trainer has had so far, with her dazzling debut win at Cork followed by the passing of her two Curragh pattern-race tests with honours. “Even before Cork, she was telling us how good she was,” Lyons added. “She'll stay over this trip until she tells us otherwise. We'll take her home and see how she is and at this minute I'd say it will be the [G1] Cheveley Park, subject to discussions, and that will be her done for the year. Colin said there is no rush to step her up in trip at the moment, as she has plenty of speed.”
“He's just been very straightforward all year and she's a pleasure to train–I think her greatest strength is her temperament. These horses are hard to find, but when we find them, or lads like us find them, we can do it,” he stated. “There is only one outfit on the planet that can source the horse consistently and that is Aidan's, but when the rest of us get the chance we can do it.”
Pedigree Notes
Babouche's dam Pavlosk (Arch) was highly-regarded by Sir Michael Stoute, hence why she was tried in the G1 Coronation Stakes after what amounted to her sole black-type success in the Listed Michael Seely Memorial Stakes. After producing the the stakes-placed Derevo (GB) (Dansili {GB}), she hit her first jackpot with the aforementioned Zarinsk whose four black-type wins included the G2 Minstrel Stakes, G3 Brownstown Stakes and G3 Cornelscourt Stakes.
Pavlosk, who is also responsible for a yearling filly by Expert Eye (GB) and a filly foal by Bated Breath (GB), is a full-sister to the fellow listed winner Rostova and a half to the dual Group 3 scorer and G1 Gran Premio di Milano-placed stakes producer Exhibit One (Silver Hawk). This is the family of Zafonic and Zamindar which includes the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Irish Rookie (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}).
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
KEENELAND PHOENIX STAKES-G1, €350,000, Curragh, 8-10, 2yo, c/f, 6fT, 1:09.33, g/f.
1–BABOUCHE (GB), 128, f, 2, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Pavlosk (SW-Eng), by Arch
2nd Dam: Tsar's Pride (GB), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Bold Empress, by Diesis (GB)
TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Juddmonte;
B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ger Lyons; J-Colin Keane.
€206,500. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $274,438. *Full to Zarinsk
(GB), MGSW-Ire, $258,347; 1/2 to Derevo (GB) (Dansili {GB}),
SP-KSA, $479,020. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Whistlejacket (Ire), 131, c, 2, No Nay Never–Adventure
Seeker (Fr), by Bering (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE.
(500,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-P M Brant & Mrs J Magnier &
M Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Camas Park, Lynch Bages &
Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €66,500.
3–Arizona Blaze (GB), 131, c, 2, Sergei Prokofiev–Liberisque
(GB), by Equiano (Fr). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. (36,000gns
Wlg '22 TADEWE; £82,000 Ylg '23 GOFFUK). O-AMO Racing
Limited & Giselle De Aguiar; B-Andrew Bengough & Partners
(GB); T-Adrian Murray. €31,500.
Margins: 1HF, 1 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 0.62, 16.00.
Also Ran: Shadow Army (GB), Rudi's Apple (Ire). Scratched: Heavens Gate (Ire).
Group 1 GLORY for 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞 🏆
Progressive filly Babouche extends her winning run to three as she sees off Whistlejacket to land the @keeneland Phoenix Stakes under @ctkjockey.
💚🩷🤍@curraghrace | @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/bUwZ1yPVsE
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 10, 2024
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