By Tom Frary
Sent off the 11-8 favourite on the basis of her 3 1/4-length success in the Listed Dragon S. at Sandown July 5, Philip Wilkins's Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) mastered a clutch of the fastest juveniles that could be mustered in opposition in Goodwood's five-furlong G3 Molecomb S. Always travelling strongly behind the speed, the bay was short of room passing the two-furlong pole but was undeterred and split the Matthieu Palussiere-trained pair Fan Club Rules (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) and Wheels On Fire (Fr) (Sidestep {Aus}) to lead with 150 yards remaining. At the line, she had a length to spare over Alligator Alley (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and jockey Jason Hart was left relieved it had come off. “She was very brave and tough to go through that tight gap,” he commented. “I planned to follow Frankie [on Maven (American Pharoah)] and I had hoped he would take me a bit further, so I got dragged out of the race a tiny bit and had to make my move sooner than ideal.”
Successful in a novice contest at Redcar May 27, Liberty Beach followed up in Beverley's Hilary Needler Trophy Conditions S. which used to carry listed status June 8. Having beaten everything among the pack racing up the centre in the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot June 19, she was 2 1/4-lengths fourth overall behind Raffle Prize (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}) and the other pair that came up the seemingly-favoured stand's rail. Impressive when dominating the Dragon and winning by 3 1/4 lengths at Sandown last time July 5, she had to dig deeper here with the gap closing behind the tiring Maven approaching two out but showed that same surge heading to the furlong marker to make the difference.
Trainer John Quinn said, “I think some of the horses coming back got in her way, but she showed once again acceleration that is special. She nearly ran her race to get there and there was nothing Jason could do about it. But once she got out of it, she goes and he couldn't pull her up which is a good sign. I put her in the [G1 Prix] Morny [at Deauville Aug. 18] this morning, because I felt this morning she was good enough but she had to do it this afternoon. She is in the [Aug. 22 G2] Lowther [at York] and the Morny is the same weekend, so we shall see. I like the Morny. It's a group one we have been lucky in with The Wow Signal and this is a high-class filly. In my mind it's the Lowther or the Morny, the [Oct. 6 G1] Prix de l'Abbaye [at ParisLongchamp] and then the Breeders' Cup. You need tactical speed to be competitive in America and she has loads of that.”
The dam, who also has a yearling filly by Mehmas (Ire), is a half to three black-type performers in the G3 Dick Poole Fillies S. winner La Rioja (GB) (Hellvelyn {GB}), the Listed St Hughs S. third Lilbourne Lass (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) and the G3 Princess Margaret S. runner-up Pastoral Girl (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}). Descendants of the GIII Golden Rod S.-winning fourth dam Gold Sunrise (Forty Niner) include Eastern Aria (UAE) (Halling) who captured the G2 Park Hill S. and G3 Lillie Langtry Fillies' S.
Wednesday, Goodwood, Britain
MARKEL INSURANCE MOLECOMB S.-G3, £75,000, Goodwood, 7-31, 2yo, 5fT, :58.88, gd.
1–LIBERTY BEACH (GB), 124, f, 2, by Cable Bay (Ire)
1st Dam: Flirtinaskirt (GB), by Avonbridge (GB)
2nd Dam: Talampaya, by Elusive Quality
3rd Dam: Argentina, by Storm Cat
1ST GROUP WIN. (£16,000 RNA Ylg '18 TASAYG). O/B-Philip Wilkins (GB); T-John Quinn; J-Jason Hart. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $117,943. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Alligator Alley (GB), 127, c, 2, Kingman (GB)">Kingman (GB)–Overturned (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire). (100,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Smith/Magniers/Shanahan/Carthy; B-Whatton Manor Stud (GB); T-Joseph O'Brien. £16,125.
3–Show Me Show Me (GB), 127, c, 2, Showcasing (GB)–Springing Baroness (GB), by Bertolini. (£24,000 Ylg '18 GOUKPR). O-Ontoawinner 8 & Partner 4; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Richard Fahey. £8,070.
Margins: 1, 1, NO. Odds: 1.35, 8.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Fan Club Rules (Ire), Wheels On Fire (Fr), Raahy (GB), Air Force Jet (GB), Dr Simpson (Fr), Hand On My Heart (GB), Maven, Cool Sphere, Zulu Zander (Ire). DNF: Aussie Showstopper (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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