By Tom Frary
Granted a much easier task after the 15-8 market-leader Lucid Dreamer (GB) (Dansili {GB}) refused to enter the stalls, George Strawbridge's Indigo Girl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) nevertheless cut a real dash on debut as she earned TDN Rising Star status at Yarmouth on Sunday. Due to start the 10-3 second favourite for the Norfolk venue's British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice S. over a mile with Khalid Abdullah's Lucid Dreamer having registered a promising debut win at Kempton, the full-sister to former celebrity Journey (GB) was slowly away and last of the five remaining runners throughout the early stages. Rab Havlin was cajoling at halfway, but the John Gosden trainee picked up impressively to surge to the lead with 1 1/2 furlongs to race before staying on strongly under hand riding to record a three-length verdict over Final Thought (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), with Mystery Show (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) half a length away in third. “She wears a hood, as she can be a bit lively at home but actually she was really well-behaved today,” her rider commented. “We thought she might do things back-to-front, as her sister used to and it took her a long time to settle, but she was nice and relaxed and there was a lot left in the tank at the end. She was racing behind the bridle, but when I showed her daylight she picked up through the gears and off she went. The ground is a bit dead, but she handled it well and switched off. Her sister was at her best over a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half, so hopefully she'll get that sort of trip–it's definitely within her compass if she switches off like she did here.”
Journey, who also sported a hood throughout most of her career, enjoyed her finest hour when beating the high-class Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal) by four lengths in the 2016 G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. She first burst on to the scene when making all in dynamic fashion to take Newmarket's Listed Princess Royal S. by eight lengths in September 2015 prior to finishing runner-up on her first tilt at Ascot's Champions Fillies & Mares. She also won the Princess Royal the following season and Haydock's G3 Pinnacle S. and was second in the 2017 G1 Prix Vermeille, Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 11-14f, G1SW-Eng, G1SP-Fr, $912,717. The dam Montare (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) captured the 2006 G1 Prix Royal Oak and the G2 Prix de Royallieu and G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris as well as placing in the G1 Prix Vermeille. Her dual listed-winning dam Contare (GB) (Shirley Heights (GB) is also the second dam of Worth Waiting (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), winner of the G2 Dahlia S. and G3 Prix Minerve.
Indigo Girl is Montare's ninth foal, with the other black-type performer being Travelling Man (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who was placed in three pattern races including when third in the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville, MGSP-Fr, $127,771. This stable's 3-year-old filly Mostly (GB) (Makfi {GB}) was recently off the mark at Kempton and has potential, with the family generally needing time to settle down and mature fully. Given how well Montare works with Dubawi, it is no surprise to see her with another yearling filly in the wings.
1st-Great Yarmouth, £6,400, Novice, 8-30, 2yo, f, 8f 3yT, 1:37.27, sf.
INDIGO GIRL (GB), f, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Montare (Ire) (G1SW-Fr, $852,544), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Contare (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Balenare (GB), by Pharly (Fr)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $5,528. O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-John Gosden. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
