By Tom Frary
Putting another piece in the Derby puzzle on Sunday, Ballydoyle's unbeaten Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}–Frequential {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) marked his return with a workmanlike but promising win in Leopardstown's G3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial S. Last seen winning the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, the 4-5 favourite sat off the tempo set by stablemate Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) under Wayne Lordan and after getting to the front a furlong out stayed on to beat that rival by a length, with the Dermot Weld trainee Taraj (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) a head away in third.
Aidan O'Brien was at ParisLongchamp, but stable representative Chris Armstrong was on hand to give the lowdown afterwards. “Both his runs last year were on an easier surface, so it's great to get him out here. He's carrying a bit more condition and the run is going to bring him on a ton,” he said. “When he steps up again to a mile and a half he'll improve and he's right now bang in the Derby picture. He's very exciting.”
“He's a big horse, but he's a beautiful mover and he's got the right mind,” he added. “You could see him walking around the paddock beforehand, absolutely chilled and he has the same attitude at home. Camelot obviously went around Epsom no problem and this horse has a lot of his sire's good traits. The second horse ran a cracker as well and once he goes up in trip again he'll improve a lot. He is a very solid horse.”
Pedigree Notes
Los Angeles, a full-brother to the G3 Prix Penelope-placed Be Happy (Ire) and G3 Ballyroan S.-placed Hector De Maris (Ire), is out of the unraced Frequential who is kin to the G3 Prix Messidor winner Impulsif (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and the G3 Pride S. runner-up Veil Of Shadows (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Their dam Violante (Kingmambo) is a half-sister to the G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero and sire Anabaa Blue (GB) and a daughter of the G3 Prix de Flore winner Allez Les Trois (Riverman).
Allez Les Trois was a half-sister to the G1 2000 Guineas hero King's Best by Violante's sire Kingmambo, and perhaps more importantly to the renowned G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine and outstanding broodmare Urban Sea (Miswaki). That links Los Angeles to Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), as well as the stable's G1 Irish Derby hero Santiago (Ire) by Montjeu's other Derby-winning son Authorized (Ire). Frequential's 2-year-old Front And Centre (Ire) (No Nay Never) has already been gelded.
Still unbeaten 👊
Los Angeles overcomes a steady pace to land the Derby Trial and maintain his unbeaten record.
The son of Camelot is now 8/1 (from 12/1) for the Epsom showpiece. @CashelPalace | @LeopardstownRC | @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/T1E5wu017C
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 12, 2024
Sunday, Leopardstown, Ireland
CASHEL PALACE HOTEL DERBY TRIAL S.-G3, €80,000, Leopardstown, 5-12, 3yo, 10fT, 2:06.82, gd.
1–LOS ANGELES (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Frequential (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Violante, by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Allez Les Trois, by Riverman
O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €48,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $212,634. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Euphoric (GB), 131, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Blue Waltz (GB), by Pivotal (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (1,900,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Smith, Magnier, Tabor, Westerberg, Brant; B-Fittocks Stud & Arrow Farm Stud (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien. €16,000.
3–Taraj (Ire), 131, c, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Catchment (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (68,000gns RNA Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Jastar Capital Ltd; B-Springbank Way Stud (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €8,000.
Margins: 1, HD, HF. Odds: 0.80, 6.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Keeper's Heart (Ire), Bremen (Ire).
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