By Tom Frary
Putting himself into an elite category when scoring by seven lengths on debut over six furlongs at The Curragh last Saturday, TDN Rising Star Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) returned to the same course and distance to dominate the G3 John Sisk & Son Round Tower S. in the manner of a high-class performer. Striking an imposing figure over this trip, the bay who is undoubtedly Ballydoyle's best juvenile to be seen so far in 2018 has an air of Fasliyev or Johannesburg about him and he is moving towards their level rapidly. Always comfortable handed a lead by stablemate Fantasy (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the 1-3 favourite cruised to the front as Donnacha O'Brien gave the signal with two furlongs remaining and drew away under hands and heels to score by 3 3/4 lengths from Bruce Wayne (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}). “You'd have to be very happy,” Aidan O'Brien commented. “He seemed to do everything right and he has a good, big, open stride. At least now going to the [G1] Middle Park [at Newmarket Sept. 29] he's had two runs and he should have enough experience. We'll look forward to that now.”
Unusually for a Ballydoyle newcomer, especially during a year that has been marred by a virus, Ten Sovereigns was able to put clear daylight between himself and some potentially useful peers at the first time of asking. Donnacha was very taken. “He looks very smart and feels like the real deal,” he said. “We'll find out when he steps up to group one company, but he couldn't be doing any better. He pings the gates and went past Seamus's filly [Fantasy] like she was stopping. He has a fantastic brain and does everything right–he lobs down to the start and stands like a lamb in the stalls.” Aidan is equally doting on the new star of Rosegreen. “He would have learned more today as he followed horses, so that was great,” the trainer added. “He travels very strong and has a lot of speed. You'd be delighted to see the last furlong. He got there and opened up then. He's definitely fast, but he's relaxed and he's very clean-winded so you'd say looking at him today he shouldn't have any problem with seven. He's a very good mover, he's big and he's scopey. He has plenty of speed, but that's what we're always looking for in horses. He doesn't look like a horse that would want soft ground, he's definitely a nice-ground horse as he skips along. Himself and Sergei [Prokofiev] are what we'll look at for the Middle Park. There are a few others that have run a bit below-par in the past couple of weeks, but they might come back up again when the horses are running well again.”
Interestingly, at a time when the barriers between Coolmore and Godolphin have come down, he is out of a mare who sported the royal blue in Seeking Solace (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) who stayed 11 furlongs when second in the Listed Prix de la Seine. Bought for just 65,000gns by BBA Ireland at the 2011 Tattersalls July Sale, she had produced just one runner before this colt and that turned out to be the modest performer Halcyon Charm (Ire) (Halling). A half-sister to the G2 Al Fahidi Fort runner-up Flash Fire (Ire) (Shamardal), she is a daughter of Flamelet (Theatrical {Ire}) who was second in the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial. It is under the G3 Cherry Hinton S.-placed third dam Darling Flame (Capote) that things get interesting, with her descendants including the G1 Oakleigh Plate heroine Shamal Wind (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the G2 Rockfel S. winner Al Thakhira (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The fourth dam is the GI Fantasy S. winner and GI Kentucky Oaks third My Darling One (Exclusive Native). Seeking Solace also has yearling and foal full-sisters to the winner.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
JOHN SISK & SON ROUND TOWER S.-G3, €63,000, Curragh, 9-1, 2yo, 6fT, 1:12.02, g/y.
1–TEN SOVEREIGNS (IRE), 129, c, 2, by No Nay Never">No Nay Never
1st Dam: Seeking Solace (GB) (SP-Fr), by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
2nd Dam: Flamelet, by Theatrical (Ire)
3rd Dam: Darling Flame, by Capote
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (200,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Camas Park, Lynch Bages & Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Donnacha O'Brien. €37,170. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $55,655. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bruce Wayne (Ire), 129, c, 2, Slade Power (Ire)–Tallulah Bell, by Gone West. (€24,000 RNA Wlg '16 GOFNOV; €45,000 Ylg '17 GOFSPT; €220,000 2yo '18 GBMBR). O/T-Michael O'Callaghan; B-Mrs Jacqueline Norris (IRE). €12,600.
3–Fantasy (Ire), 126, f, 2, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire). (1,600,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Trevor Stewart (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €6,300.
Margins: 3 3/4, 2, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.30, 14.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Mia Mento (Ire), Could Be King (GB), Jungle Inthebungle (Ire), Limit Long (GB), Servalan (Ire). 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.
