By Tom Frary
Making it number seven in this Derby trial for Aidan O'Brien, Rostropovich returned to the winner's spot for the first time since the G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh in August and did so in commanding style to finally emerge from the shadows of his stable's more-lauded runners. Encouraging when fourth on unsuitably testing ground on his return behind France's main G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hopes Wootton (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War) in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at a mile at Longchamp Apr. 15, the bay was well supported on this drying ground he is bred for despite My Lord and Master's strong formlines. Reserved in fifth early on the rail with the pace strong, he needed room turning for home but Ryan Moore stayed typically cool and got that when the rail cut away at the top of the straight. Through in an instant to take control, he powered up the rail in front of the habitually-packed Chester stands to hammer the Haggas representative. “He's a very smart colt and conditions suited him–he'd never had decent ground and getting that and the step up in trip suited well,” Moore said. “He ran a lovely race in France behind two nice colts and showed what he can do today. He's a high-class colt with plenty of options for the year.”
Aidan O'Brien has many shots to fire at the European Derbys and said, “We always thought that going beyond a mile was going to suit and they went a nice even pace and he relaxed lovely. The lads will decide if he's one for Epsom or the French Derby. It never does any harm to have plenty of back-up in the big races, as last year proved–I'm not scared of running more than one, as you know. All these horses are bred and born to run in Classics, so if we think they are up to it that's what they'll do. Because the ground in Ireland has been so bad, the horses are improving massively from one run to the next. As we saw on Wednesday, with some of them we are even skipping their maidens just to make up for lost time.”
Rostropovich, who was also third in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. in September, is a half-brother to the stable's G1 Phoenix S. hero Zoffany who was also a close runner-up to this colt's sire Frankel in the 2011 G1 St James's Palace S. at a mile that was probably as far as he wanted to go. The dam, who was best at seven furlongs, also produced the fellow Ballydoyle trainee and similarly speedy G3 Anglesey S. winner Wilshire Boulevard and is out of the G3 Prix de la Nonette winner Dust Dancer who stayed a mile and a half. She was responsible for the GII Lake Placid H. winner Spotlight (GB) (Dr. Fong) and the listed-placed Dusty Answer (GB) (Zafonic), with the latter in turn the dam of the G2 Oaks d'Italia runner-up Counterclaim (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) from the family of the GIII Hillsborough S. winner and G1 Nassau S. runner-up Cassydora (GB) (Darshaan {GB}). She is responsible for the strong-staying dual G3 Curragh Cup scorer Ernest Hemingway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and last year's G3 Prix d'Aumale scorer Toulifaut (Ire), also by Frankel, who was untried beyond a mile. Rostropovich is further evidence that Frankel is imparting stamina as his own sire did and does and if asked to contest the G1 Prix du Jockey Club he could provide this dynasty with its first Classic victory. The John Dunlop-trained Hesmonds Stud campaigner Bulaxie (GB) (Bustino {GB}) and her daughter Claxon (GB) (Caerleon) both tried in the Epsom Oaks and came up short, but this is a family which has always promised that breakthrough moment. Tyranny's 2016 filly by Dubawi (Ire) named Tierra (Ire) was bought for €400,000 by Cheyenne Stables at Goffs Orby last year.
HOMESERVE DEE S.-Listed, £75,000, CHE, 5-10, 3yo, c/g, 10f 70yT, 2:12.33, gd.
1–ROSTROPOVICH (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)#tot">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Tyranny (GB), by Machiavellian
2nd Dam: Dust Dancer (GB), by Suave Dancer
3rd Dam: Galaxie Dust, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
(1,100,000gns Ylg '16 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Markus Jooste; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £42,532. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Ire, 7-3-0-2, $208,601. *1/2 to Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f, G1SW-Ire, G1SP-Eng & Fr, $523,650; Wilshire Boulevard (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), GSW-Ire & GSP-Eng, $173,305; and That's Plenty (Ire) (Dr Fong), SP-US, $124,846.
2–My Lord and Master (Ire), 126, c, 3, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Affability (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire). (65,000gns Ylg '16 TAOCT). O-Mr T. Bridge; B-A. Stroud and J. Hanly (IRE); T-William Haggas. £16,125.
3–King's Proctor (Ire), 126, c, 3, Cape Cross (Ire)–Alimony (Ire), by Groom Dancer. (€85,000 Wlg '15 GOFNOV). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Airlie Stud (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £8,070.
Margins: 3 3/4, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 2.50, 2.75, 14.00.
Also Ran: Shakour (Ire), Finniston Farm (GB), Rastrelli (Fr), Kenya (Ire). Scratched: Fortune's Pearl (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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