By Tom Frary
It took its time coming this year, but the expected Royal Ascot winner for the great Galileo (Ire) aptly arrived courtesy of Ballydoyle as Warm Heart (Ire) captured Thursday's G2 Ribblesdale S. for the late legend. Stepping up to a mile-and-a-half trip that was always going to see her excel following her hard-fought win in the 10-furlong Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. at Newbury last month, the 13-2 shot was in the right spot early with Ryan Moore's unerring radar to her advantage.
As the initial strong pace slackened notably after the first half mile, Warm Heart was close up while Shadwell's keen-going 5-6 favourite Al Asifah (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was compromised several lengths behind without cover. As Warm Heart took a narrow lead two out, Al Asifah arrived out wide with a threat that was to prove only short-lived as the eventual winner produced a 11.88 split to take command. At the line, the daughter of the triple group 1 winner Sea Siren (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) had 2 1/2 lengths to spare over Lumiere Rock (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), with TDN Rising Star Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) 1 1/4 lengths further behind in third.
“She is a straightforward filly and they didn't go hard, so I was in a good spot and it all worked out,” Moore said. “She was a better filly today up to a mile and a half.” Aidan O'Brien added, “We thought that a mile and a quarter was maybe as far as she was going to get and we didn't know when she got to the front today whether she would run out of stamina. She got the trip very well today and Ryan gave her a beautiful ride. She's out of a great mare and usually those fillies with good pedigrees do improve–physically she's doing great.”
Al Asifah well-beaten! Warm Heart powers clear to win the Ribblesdale for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore at #RoyalAscot! @Ascot pic.twitter.com/daPyBrdOny
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 22, 2023
Pedigree Notes
Warm Heart is the fifth foal out of Sea Siren, whose top-level victories came in the Manikato S., Doomben 10,000 and BTC Cup. She is also responsible for Galileo's G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies S. runner-up Celestial Object (Ire) and the stable's ill-fated Arbutus (Ire) who broke down during the Listed Yeats S. last season. The third dam is the G1 Karrakatta Plate winner Hold That Smile (Aus) (Haulpak {Aus}), while the family includes the G2 Bank of New Zealand Breeders' S. scorer and stakes producer Lady Dehere (NZ) (Dehere). Her final Galileo is a 2-year-old colt named Bremen (Ire), after which she produced a yearling colt by Camelot (GB).
Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
RIBBLESDALE S.-G2, £235,875, Ascot, 6-22, 3yo, f, 11f 211yT, 2:30.41, g/f.
1–WARM HEART (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Sea Siren (Aus) (MG1SW-Aus, SW & MGSP-Ire, $1,743,772), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Express A Smile (Aus), by Success Express
3rd Dam: Hold That Smile (Aus), by Haulpak (Aus)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £133,765. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $231,472. *Full to Celestial Object (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), GSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lumiere Rock (Ire), 128, f, 3, Saxon Warrior (Jpn)–Last Gold (Fr), by Gold Away (Ire). (55,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-M O'Flynn; B-The Last Partnership (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. £50,713.
3–Bluestocking (GB), 128, f, 3, Camelot (GB)–Emulous (GB), by Dansili (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. £25,380.
Margins: 2HF, 1 1/4, NO. Odds: 6.50, 14.00, 4.50.
Also Ran: Crown Princesse (Fr), Sea Of Roses (GB), Al Asifah (GB), Climate Friendly (GB), Lmay (Ire), Ghara (GB), Village Voice (GB), Perfect Prophet (GB), Understated (GB), Midnight Mile (Ire), Rocha Do Leao (Ire), Red Riding Hood (Ire), Ferrari Queen (Ire), Maman Joon (Ire). Scratched: Infinite Cosmos (Ire), Luckin Brew (Ire).
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