By Tom Frary
Following on where stablemate Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) had left off half an hour earlier, Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}–Athena {Ire}, by Camelot {GB}) supplied further notice that Ballydoyle hold many of the aces in the Classic pack as she swept aside her rivals in Leopardstown's G3 Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” 1,000 Guineas Trial S. on Sunday. Successful in the G3 Silver Flash S. over this seven-furlong trip and track in July, the 2-1 favourite who had last been seen finishing third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac was keen initially as Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) took up the running with Ryan Moore opting to slot into mid-division. Wide throughout with no cover, the regally-bred bay was wound up to take the measure of that long-time leader with 150 yards remaining and draw away for a 2 1/2-length success as Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) finished the same margin away in third.
“We're delighted, as she hadn't come in her coat yet and so we had been minding her,” explained Aidan O'Brien, who was stretching his record to a dozen winners of this contest. “We decided rather than working her hard, we'd let her run and then back off and prime her for one of the Guineas and Ryan gave her a beautiful ride and let her go to sleep. That is tough ground, so we're very happy with her. We think she'll go a mile and a quarter in time and we might wait for the Irish Guineas as Newmarket might come too quick and Meditate is on track for that.”
Pedigree Notes
Never Ending Story, who was also third in the G2 Prix du Calvados and a slightly unlucky fourth behind Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. last term, is the first foal out of the stable's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational winner Athena who was also third in the G1 Pretty Polly S. A full-sister to the G3 Snow Fairy S. winner Goddess, she is also kin to the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Bracelet (Ire) and G2 Rockfel S. winner Wading (Ire) both by Camelot's sire Montjeu (Ire). Wading produced Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}), who emulated her dam by also winning the Rockfel prior to running second in the Belmont Oaks and third in the G1 Matron S.
The second dam is the G3 Blue Wind S. runner-up Cherry Hinton (GB) (Green Desert), one of four daughters of the great Urban Sea (Miswaki) who has been either directly or indirectly responsible for a trio of Derby winners since the turn of the century. Interestingly, Dubawi has sired three black-type performers from this family in the G2 Balanchine and G3 Pride S. scorer Creative Flair (Ire), the G3 September S. winner Royal Line (GB) and Sayyida (GB) who was second in the G3 Princess Royal S. Athena's 2-year-old colt and yearling filly are full-siblings of Never Ending Story.
Sunday, Leopardstown, Ireland
BALLYLINCH STUD PRIORY BELLE 1,000 GUINEAS TRIAL S.-G3, €55,000, Leopardstown, 4-2, 3yo, f, 7f 18yT, 1:37.43, hy.
1–NEVER ENDING STORY (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Athena (Ire) (GISW-US, G1SP-Ire, SP-Eng, $732,859), by Camelot (GB)
2nd Dam: Cherry Hinton (GB), by Green Desert
3rd Dam: Urban Sea, by Miswaki
O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €33,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 7-3-0-3, $153,655. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Matilda Picotte (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sioux Nation–Hallie's Comet (Ire), by One Cool Cat. O-Matilda & Kilmichael Racing Partnership; B-Mighty Universe Ltd (IRE); T-Kieran Cotter. €11,000.
3–Zarinsk (GB), 128, f, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Pavlosk, by Arch.
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €5,500.
Margins: 2HF, 2HF, NK. Odds: 2.00, 6.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Madly Truly (Ire), Nightcliff (Ire), Dower House (Ire), Dame Kiri, Clever And Cool (Ire), Impact Warrior (Ire), La Dolce Vita (Ire). Scratched: Not Even Close (Ire), Ocean Quest (Ire), Tarawa (Ire), Thornbrook (Ire).
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