By Tom Frary
As much as ever, Wednesday's G2 Queen Mary S. was all about speed from pillar-to-post and there was none slicker than Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' aptly-named Quick Suzy (Ire) who provided her first-season sire Profitable (Ire) with a landmark first black-type winner. Runner-up in the six-furlong G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. at Naas last time May 16, the Gavin Cromwell-trained bay who was another drawn closest to the stand's rail was tanking along early alongside the 9-4 favourite Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) with Artos (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in front on the far side. Inside the final two furlongs, it was between the stand's-rail runners and the 8-1 shot Quick Suzy gradually asserted from the furlong pole under Gary Carroll to subdue Twilight Gleaming by 1 1/4 lengths. The 50-1 closer Cheerupsleepyjean (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was the eye-catcher from rear, finishing 1 3/4 lengths away in third and a neck in front of the trail-blazing Artos. “Quick Suzy–she's that and everything else,” the winning rider said. “It was very straightforward. I thought the American horse would go a real good gallop and I'd be chasing, but I was actually close to her and every step of the way I was waiting and waiting. Inside the two, she got maybe half a length on me but I chased her down and outbattled her to the line. She went quick last time over six on slow ground, as she has so much natural speed, but burnt off in the last 100 yards and ran out of petrol. She is a very good filly and really got to the line well today.”
Runner-up on debut to the impressive Elliptic (Ire) (Caravaggio) over five furlongs at Tipperary on debut Apr. 20, Quick Suzy bounced out of that effort to record a 5 1/2-length success over an extra furlong at The Curragh May 3 before being worn down late by Hermana Estrella (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in the Fillies Sprint. Gavin Cromwell, who is best known as a jumps trainer of note having saddled the winners of the Champion Hurdle, Stayers' Hurdle and Spa Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, was starstruck. “It's unbelievable, fantastic–it's such an occasion,” he said. “I was very confident she'd run a big race, but didn't know where she laid with the English and American horses.”
Quick Suzy's dam Snooze (Ire) (Marju {Ire}), who also has a yearling full-brother to the winner, is a half to Aria Di Festa (Ire) (Orpen) who was second in the G3 Premio Regina Elena and third in the G2 Prix de Sandringham before producing the G3 Premio Primi Passi winner and G2 Gran Criterium runner-up Aria Importante (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}). The winner shares her multiple listed-placed second dam Alarme Belle (GB) (Warning {GB}) with the listed winner and G2 Prix de Sandringham runner-up Mixed Intention (Ire) (Elusive City), who is herself the dam of this month's G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Millebosc (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). This is also the family of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix d'Ispahan heroine Danseuse du Soir (Ire) (Thatching {Ire}), who accounts for the G1 Gran Criterium winner Scintillo (GB) (Fantastic Light).
Wednesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
QUEEN MARY S.-G2, £80,000, Ascot, 6-16, 2yo, f, 5fT, 1:00.01, g/f.
1–QUICK SUZY (IRE), 126, f, 2, by Profitable (Ire)
1st Dam: Snooze (Ire), by Marju (Ire)
2nd Dam: Alarme Belle (GB), by Warning (GB)
3rd Dam: Dazzlingly Radiant, by Try My Best
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€20,000 Ylg '20 GOFOCT). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners LLC; B-Oghill House Stud & Jasleen (IRE); T-Gavin Cromwell; J-Gary Carroll. £47,360. Lifetime Record: GSP-Ire, 4-2-2-0, $103,686. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Twilight Gleaming (Ire), 126, f, 2, National Defense (GB)–Thames Pageant (GB), by Dansili (GB). (£75,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Pier House Stud (IRE); T-Wesley Ward. £17,912.
3–Cheerupsleepyjean (Fr), 126, f, 2, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Time Will Tell (Fr), by Wootton Bassett (GB). (€35,000 Wlg '19 ARQDE; £35,000 Ylg '20 GOFFUK). O-Mrs P Shanahan, Mrs M V Magnier & Mrs T Stack; B-Xavier Malaviolle (FR); T-Fozzy Stack. £8,952.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 8.00, 2.25, 50.00.
Also Ran: Artos (Ire), Vertiginous (Ire), Get Ahead (GB), Illustrating (GB), Orinoco River, Misty Ayr (Ire), Desert Dreamer (GB), Nymphadora (GB), Choux (Ire), Crazyland (GB), Harmony Rose (GB), Coup de Force (GB), Jazzy Princess (GB), Yet, Poppy Petal (Ire), Beautiful Sunshine (GB), White Jasmine (Ire), Mas Poder (Ire). Scratched: Eve Lodge (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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