By Tom Frary
Sent off the 11-8 favourite for Wednesday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Naas, Juddmonte's Apricot Twist (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}) more than justified that SP to join the TDN Rising Star ranks. The first by her first-season sire (by Acclamation {GB}), the Ger Lyons-trained homebred tracked the pace far side under Colin Keane in the near-six-furlong contest before being allowed to stride to the front over two furlongs from home. Clear soon after, the daughter of the Listed Ruby S. scorer Erysimum (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) was eased down late to inflict a 7 1/2-length defeat on Mount Ruapehu (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), with Magnanimous Mehmus (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) 1 1/4 lengths away in third.
🚨 Serious beast alert
140,000gns purchase Apricot Twist (Expert Eye) looks a hugely exciting prospect as she hoses up on debut for Ger Lyons, @ctkjockey & @JuddmonteFarms @NaasRacecourse pic.twitter.com/p2FSEbf7QV
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 20, 2022
“She's a lovely filly and I've liked her from day one,” Lyons said. “We have literally given her six weeks cantering and haven't worked her. She is after blossoming and I said we'd run her here and if she wins she wins, not expecting her to do that. I think the boys bought two Expert Eye's for the farm this year and both of them have won. We'll let her progress and no doubt it will be black-type. She's not entered in any early closing races. The rules with Juddmonte horses are they have to earn the right, but they won't be afraid to supplement if needed. She'll get a bit further, but we don't need to do anything with the trip at the moment.”
Apricot Twist is the second foal out of the useful dam, whose yearling filly is by Blue Point (Ire). She is a granddaughter of Shadwell's Mathaayl (Shadeed), who produced the Listed Chalice S. scorer and G2 Ribblesdale S. and G2 Lancashire Oaks runner-up Sahool (GB) (Unfuwain) who is in turn the dam of the G3 Cumberland Lodge S. scorer Laraaib (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). This is also the family of the dual G2 Hardwicke S. scorer Maraahel (Ire) (Alzao), the G2 Prix Robert Papin and G2 Flying Childers S.-winning sire Gutaifan (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and the G1 Premio Jockey Club winner Ventura Storm (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).
1st-Naas, €16,000, Mdn, 7-20, 2yo, 5f 205yT, 1:11.69, gd.
APRICOT TWIST (IRE), f, 2, by Expert Eye (GB)
1st Dam: Erysimum (Ire) (SW-Ire), by Arcano (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mathool (Ire), by Alhaarth (Ire)
3rd Dam: Mathaayl, by Shadeed
(140,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $9,818. O-Juddmonte; B-Barouche Stud (Ireland) Ltd (IRE); T-Ger Lyons. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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