By Sean Cronin
Winless in five starts since annexing last year's edition of the Curragh's G2 Romanised Minstrel S., 2020's GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}–Senta's Dream {GB}, by Danehill) repeated the dose with a 3 1/2-length triumph in Sunday's latest renewal of the seven-furlong contest at the Co. Kildare venue. The 5-year-old entire, who also hit the board in last term's G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois and G1 Prix du Moulin, arrived for this defence coming back off a third in last month's G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot and broke smartly to lead from flagfall. In command until bustled along when tackled by Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) approaching the quarter-mile marker, the 4-5 favourite soon had that rival's measure and was ridden clear in the closing stages to win by a comfortable 3 1/2 lengths. Dr Kempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) kept on well to finish a half length adrift in third.
“He's a lovely horse, he has loads of speed, he's tough, genuine and hardy,” said Aidan O'Brien after notching a seventh renewal. “He ran a lovely race first time back at [Royal] Ascot this year and the plan was to come here and go on to the [G1] Sussex [at Goodwood] with him. Obviously he's a Breeders Cup Mile winner so he has plenty of class and, as he's getting older, he's getting quicker and stronger. He was working very well going to Ascot, but it was his first run [of the year] so he had to tire a little bit and that's what he did do. He's very straight forward to ride, he's very sound and we're delighted with him. The plan is to go to the Sussex and finish up at the Breeders Cup and he could go to Hong Kong and do all those races. He's at that great age now that he's seasoned, has experience, and he's quicker this year which is great. That'll be a big help in those big races.”
Pedigree Notes:
Order Of Australia, one of his sire's five top-level winners, is kin to a pair of elite-level scorers, viz multiple Group 1-winning GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) and last term's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational heroine Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Their dam Senta's Dream (GB) (Danehill) is one of only two foals produced by GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare and GI Matriarch S. victrix Starine (Fr) (Mendocino). Starine, in turn, is a half-sister to G3 Prix Minerve third Pearlescence (Pleasantly Perfect), with both being out of a half-sister to the dam of Listed Criterium du Bequet third Weld Elven (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}).
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
ROMANISED MINSTREL S.-G2, €120,000, Curragh, 7-17, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:25.24, gd.
1–ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (IRE), 136, h, 5, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Senta's Dream (GB), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Starine (Fr), by Mendocino
3rd Dam: Grisonnante (Fr), by Kaldoun (Fr)
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €72,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f, Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 7-9.5f, GISW-US, MG1SP-Fr & G1SP-Eng, 17-5-1-3, $1,678,275. *1/2 to Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}), MG1SW-Ire, G1SW-Eng & GISW-US, $1,988,198; and Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}, MGISW-US & G1SP-Ire, $731,938. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pearls Galore (Fr), 133, m, 5, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Pearl Banks (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair du Mont (FR); T-Paddy Twomey. €24,000.
3–Dr Zempf (GB), 129, c, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Souvenir Delondres (Fr), by Siyouni (Fr). (420,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Peter M Brant; B-Stratford Place Stud (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €12,000.
Margins: 3HF, HF, 3HF. Odds: 0.80, 1.88, 6.50.
Also Ran: Prisoner's Dilemma (GB), Real Appeal (Ger). Scratched: Snapraeterea (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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