By Tom Frary
If there were any fitness doubts about TDN Rising Star Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}–Sweepstake {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) ahead of Sunday's G3 Alleged S. at The Curragh, they were answered categorically as Ballydoyle's almost-forgotten talent worked hard to prevail and get back on track on his comeback. Set a stiff task by the race-hardened Visualisation (Ire) (No Nay Never) as that Listed Devoy S. winner took no prisoners on the front end, the 2021 G2 Futurity S.-winning full-brother to stable stalwart Broome (Ire) was kept close by Wayne Lordan and only began to get on top inside the last 150 yards. At the line, the 6-4 favourite who was last seen finishing unplaced in the 2000 Guineas had 1 1/2 lengths to spare over that rival as they finished clear.
“I'm very happy with that on his first run back on that ground. He's going to stay further,” Aidan O'Brien said. “We thought as a two-year-old that he would get further than seven furlongs, but he never went any further because we had other horses. Then we ran him in the Guineas and he got injured. There was nowhere to hide today. Joseph's horse went a good gallop and none of the other horses were able to close.”
Where Point Lonsdale fits in remains to be seen, with the stable not short on big names among its older horses. “We have Luxembourg in the same sort of bracket,” the Ballydoyle conditioner added. “At the moment we are looking at the Ganay for him and, if not, the [G2] Mooresbridge. This horse could go for something like the [G1] Coronation Cup and take in another race before that.”
Pedigree Notes
Point Lonsdale's dam Sweepstake, who was successful in the Listed National S. and Bedanken S., runner-up in the GIII Appalachian S. and third in the G3 Princess Margaret S., has already excelled by producing the aforementioned seven-times group-winning Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Broome by Galileo's son Australia. Galileo is also responsible for the family's triple group-winning stayer Ernest Hemingway (Ire), while his son Frankel (GB) sired another G2 Futurity S. winner in Rostropovich (Ire), who went on to finish runner-up in the G1 Irish Derby, and the G3 Prix d'Aumale scorer Toulifaut (Ire).
This is also the dynasty of the stable's G1 Phoenix S.-winning sire Zoffany (Ire) and the G1 St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}), as well as the G3 Bengough S. winner Projection (GB) who shares Acclamation as a sire with Sweepstake. Others of note from this Hesmonds Stud family include the G3 Fred Darling S. winner Bulaxie (GB) (Bustino {GB}), responsible for the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Claxon (GB) (Caerleon) whose GIII Hillsborough S.-winning and G1 Nassau S.-placed daughter Cassydora (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) threw the aforementioned Ernest Hemingway. Sweepstake's 2-year-old colt by Frankel was unsurprisingly a 2.4million gns sensation when knocked down to M V Magnier and White Birch Farm as the second highest-priced lot at last year's Book 1 Sale.
Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
SP OR BETTER GUARANTEED WITH TOTE ALLEGED S.-G3, €55,000, Curragh, 4-16, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:24.79, hy.
1–POINT LONSDALE (IRE), 131, c, 4, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Sweepstake (Ire) (SW & GSP-Eng, SW & GSP-US, $114,162), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Dust Flicker (GB), by Suave Dancer
3rd Dam: Galaxie Dust, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
(575,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,Westerberg; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €33,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Ire, 7-5-1-0, $272,429. *Full to Broome (Ire), G1SW-Fr, GSW-UAE, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, GSW-Eng, GISP-US, $2,756,270. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Visualisation (Ire), 131, g, 5, No Nay Never–Roselita (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (£245,000 RNA HRA '21 GOFFLN). O-Harold John Millar; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €11,000.
3–Layfayette (Ire), 136, g, 6, French Navy (GB)–Scala Romana (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). (€4,000 Ylg '18 TIRSEP; €54,000 2yo '19 TATGOR). O-Mrs Patricia Hunt; B-Matthew Duffy (IRE); T-Noel Meade. €5,500.
Margins: 1HF, 7, 5. Odds: 1.50, 2.25, 7.00.
Also Ran: Self Belief (Ire), Fastnet Crown (Ire). Scratched: Piz Badile (Ire).
Point Lonsdale – last seen in the 2,000 Guineas @NewmarketRace – smartly picks up to claim the @thetotecom-sponsored Group Three Alleged Stakes @curraghrace 👀
The four-year-old Australia colt lengthened like a fine horse under @waynemlordan to deny Visualisation in some style. pic.twitter.com/3xLBCLu979
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 16, 2023
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