By Tom Frary
Significantly-supported into 11-8 favouritism for Tuesday's G2 Coventry S., TDN Rising Star River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Transcendence {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}) justified that confidence to provide Aidan O'Brien with a landmark 10th renewal of the juvenile feature which had announced his arrival back in 1997. Successful by a cumulative margin of 12 1/2 lengths in two starts at Navan and Naas, the 480,000gns Book 1 graduate could be spotted cruising near the front of the far-side group led by Bronsan Racing's oven-ready purchase Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}).
Students of Ryan Moore's body language would have noted that he sat motionless for the first four furlongs and as he asked the question two out River Tiber picked up as expected to wear down Monday night's Goffs London sensation with just over half a furlong to race. From there the sense of inevitability became reality as he found the line a neck ahead of the Archie Watson-trained Army Ethos (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}), who was a few horse-widths away up the centre with another son of Wootton Bassett in Bucanero Fuerte (GB) 3/4 of a length behind him in third.
There had been trouble in the stalls, with the outsider Buyin Buyin (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle (GB) becoming upset and affecting his next-door neighbough Chief Mankato (GB) (Sioux Nation) in the process, leading to their withdrawal.
“It was a tricky start, with those horses getting upset and he didn't settle like he usually does in the stalls,” commented Moore, who was riding the first winner of an afternoon treble which would ultimately take him to 76 at Royal Ascot. “He travelled really well in the race and I probably put him to sleep a bit too much. I had to wake him up to get to them and I think he had a bit more in hand. We've always loved him and he'll probably go on to be a Dewhurst horse I'd have thought. For me, he stood over all of these–he looked different class.”
Aidan O'Brien, who was about to become the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history, was not holding back as to his regard for the winner, who probably ranks up with the likes of Fasliyev, Landseer (Ire), Henrythenavigator, Power (GB) and Caravaggio. “He always looked very good,” he said. “He was never disappointing in any of his work and the stronger the work got, the stronger he became. His last piece of work he was almost doing too well, so that was my worry. We knew when he went over five last time that he was going to get six and seven comfortably.”
“You need the best horse to win the Coventry,” O'Brien added of the winner, whose inherent stamina probably made the difference off a hot early pace. “He has matured a lot, put on a lot of weight and just finds it very easy. We always thought he was a Guineas horse. If you think you have a Coventry horse, you almost know you have.”
Archie Watson, who was soon to have his moment in the sun with last year's Coventry winner Bradsell, was delighted with another big performance for a Victorious Racing colour-bearer in Army Ethos. “He's always had so much class from the moment Oliver [St Lawrence] bought him at the Somerville Yearling Sale,” he said. “Hollie [Doyle] felt Ryan got a better tow into the race and she had to do it all herself when they started falling away on our side of the track. For a horse on his second run, it was a massive effort and I'm very proud of him.”
Pedigree Notes
The second TDN Rising Star to win the Coventry in successive years and the fourth to win a Royal Ascot juvenile contest since the start of the 2022 meeting, River Tiber is the second foal and first winner for the unraced dam, a daughter of the Swedish listed winner Cover Girl (Ire) (Common Grounds {GB}) who produced the Listed Harry Rosebery S. scorer and G2 Flying Childers S. and G3 Molecomb S.-placed Mister Manannan (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) and his Luther Burbank H.-winning and G3 Cornwallis S. and GIII Senorita S.-placed full-sister Shermeen (Ire).
Shermeen is responsible for a trio who represented Coolmore in some form in the G1 Phoenix S. and G2 Railway S. winner and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. runner-up Sudirman (Henrythenavigator), the G3 Hampton Court S. runner-up Roman Empire (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the latter's full-brother Star Of India (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who captured last year's Listed Dee S. and has gone on to add Australia's Listed Rosehill Gold Cup to his tally. Transcendence's yearling colt is by Mehmas (Ire).
Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
COVENTRY S.-G2, £150,000, Ascot, 6-20, 2yo, 6fT, 1:15.49, gd.
1–RIVER TIBER (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Transcendence (Ire), by Arcano (Ire)
2nd Dam: Cover Girl (Ire), by Common Grounds (GB)
3rd Dam: Peace Carrier (Ire), by Doulab
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (480,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg & Brant; B-Pier House Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £85,065. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $144,735. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Army Ethos (GB), 129, c, 2, Shalaa (Ire)–Dream Dana (Ire), by Dream Ahead. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (20,000gns RNA Wlg '21 TADEWE; 120,000gns Ylg '22 TATSOM). O-Victorious Racing & Fawzi Nass; B-Plantation Stud (GB); T-Archie Watson. £32,250.
3–Bucanero Fuerte (GB), 129, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Frida La Blonde (Fr), by Elusive City. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€165,000 Ylg '22 ARAUG). O-Amo Racing Ltd & Giselle De Aguiar; B-Gestut Zur Kuste AG (GB); T-Adrian Murray. £16,140.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 1.38, 20.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Givemethebeatboys (Ire), Haatem (Ire), Bobsleigh (Ire), Watch My Tracer (Ire), Spanish Phoenix (Ire), Asadna (Ire), Cuban Thunder (Ire), Fandom (GB), Emperor's Son (Ire), The Camden Colt (Ire), Prince X J (Ire), Ticktyboo (GB), Flag Of St George (Ire), Politico (Ire), Alfa Whiteburd (Ire), Packard (Ire), Zoulu Chief (GB). Scratched: Buyin Buyin (Ire), Chief Mankato (GB).
River Tiber is the real deal and wins the Coventry for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien! #RoyalAscot @Ascot pic.twitter.com/r8yQ2truYB
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2023
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
