By Tom Frary
Runner-up to the subsequent G2 Beresford S. third Snapraeterea (Ire) (Buratino {Ire}) in an extended seven-furlong conditions event at Roscommon last time Aug. 18, The London Racing Partnership's Elysium (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) stepped up to spring a surprise in Sunday's G3 Weld Park S. at The Curragh. In training with Noel Meade who is best known for his exploits in the jumping sphere, the 12-1 shot was held up in rear early by Billy Lee and when given the green light inside the final two furlongs swamped Aunty Bridy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) with 100 yards remaining en route to a 1 1/2-length success, with Thinking of You (American Pharoah) 3/4 of a length away in third. “Believe it or not, I had said to Billy [Lee] beforehand that although a lot of people thought she has no chance I wouldn't be surprised if she wins,” Meade said of the €15,000 Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale purchase. “I told him to ride her to get some money and hopefully you'll get more than that and he rode her beautifully.”
Introduced in the five-furlong Naas maiden won by TDN Rising Star More Beautiful (War Front) and from which the subsequent group winners Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) and Aloha Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) also emerged on the first day back after the lockdown June 8, Elysium was an uneventful 10th there. Off the mark next time when Miss Amulet was fourth over another 164 yards at Navan June 23, the bay was third on her first try at this seven-furlong trip in Leopardstown's Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Race Final July 16 before her runner-up placing in another of that series of races in deep ground at Roscommon. “I've always thought a lot of her–she has shown us oceans of toe at home and I was a bit disappointed at Leopardstown, but Colin [Keane] said she didn't really understand what it was all about as she'd never been as quick as that before. She certainly seems to have held her form very well and we'll have to see where we are now. She's not in anything coming up except a sales race and that was where we were thinking of going after this, but now I don't know. There are three of us involved in the ownership and we thought we'd buy a few cheap ones with a view to selling. I bought four and I think they are okay.”
In a remarkable year for bargain-buy juveniles, Elysium was joining a growing club of domestic group-race winners alongside the €8,000 sensations Minaun (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) and the high-class Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) who fetched just €40,000. Elysium is the second individual pattern-race winner for her Kildangan Stud-based first-season sire and follows two days after his other, Isabella Giles (Ire), lit up Newmarket in the G2 Rockfel S. The dam is the Listed Chesham S. runner-up Sonning Rose (Ire) (Hawk Wing), who is kin to three black-type performers headed by the G3 Premio Carlo Chiesa runner-up Universo Star (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}). This is the family of the three-times group 1-winning Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Gold River (Riverman). Sonning Rose's filly foal is by Sioux Nation.
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
WELD PARK S.-G3, €50,000, Curragh, 9-27, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:28.17, yl.
1–ELYSIUM (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Belardo (Ire)
1st Dam: Sonning Rose (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Hawk Wing
2nd Dam: Shinkoh Rose (Fr), by Warning (GB)
3rd Dam: Sandpiper's Dream, by Lyphard
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€15,000 Ylg '19 GOAUTY). O-The London Racing Partnership; B-Tullpark Ltd (IRE); T-Noel Meade; J-Billy Lee. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $59,453. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Aunty Bridy (Ire), 128, f, 2, Camacho (GB)–Benedicte (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-David Granville; B-Karis Bloodstock Ltd & Rathbarry Stud (IRE); T-Jim Bolger. €10,000.
3–Thinking of You, 128, f, 2, American Pharoah–Fabulous (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien. €5,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3/4, NO. Odds: 12.00, 4.50, 3.30.
Also Ran: No Speak Alexander (Ire), Sense of Style (Ire), A Ma Chere (Ire), Keeper of Time (Ire), Angel Palm (GB), Star Image (GB), Halla Rince (Ire). Scratched: Monday, No Stopping Her (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
