Galileo's Content On Top At The Curragh

Ballydoyle second string Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Mecca's Angel {Ire}, by Dark Angel {Ire}), sent to post as an unconsidered 20-1 chance returning off a sub-par sixth in last month's G3 Weld Park S., stepped forward in style to claim a first stakes triumph in Saturday's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. at the Curragh.

The May-foaled bay, who ran second behind the reopposing Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) in Leopardstown's Listed Ingabelle S. on Irish Champions weekend, was the last of 10 into stride and raced under wraps in rear through the initial fractions of this one-mile test. Easing into mid division at halfway, she made eyecatching headway into contention in the straight and was driven out inside the final furlong to defeat long-time leader Kitty Rose by 2 1/2 lengths in decisive fashion. French challenger Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) was best of the remainder (GB) and ran on well to finish a half-length adrift in third.

“It was a nice spare [ride] to get,” expressed Chris Hayes. “She's obviously well bred and if you ignored her last run, and came straight here from Champions Weekend, she had to have a chance. She rolled around a little bit late on, but it's holding ground and we were after going an even tempo. Aidan [O'Brien] wanted to teach her, so it was important to get cover and a smooth run. I think she will improve and she won snug in the end.”

Pedigree Notes
Content becomes the 248th pattern-race winner for her sire and the first for dual G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who is a full-sister to G3 Chipchase S. and G3 Criterion S.-winning sire Markaz (Ire). Her second dam Folga (Ire) (Atraaf {Ire}), who ran second in the Listed Lansdown Fillies' S., is a half-sister to Listed Prix de Lieurey victrix Desert Kaya (Fr) (Bikala {Ire}). Both are daughters of G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Desert Dawn (GB) (Belfort {Fr}). Mecca's Angel has a yearling filly by Frankel (GB) to come.

Staffordstown Stud Stakes (G3)
1.610 m – 55.000 EUR – for 2yo fillies
Curragh

Content (IRE)
(2F Galileo- Mecca's Angel , by Dark Angel)
J : Chris Hayes
T : A.P. O'Brien
O :Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerbergpic.twitter.com/K78pp5zKX8

— (@WorldRacing1) October 7, 2023

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
STAFFORDSTOWN STUD S.-G3, €55,000, Curragh, 10-7, 2yo, 8fT, 1:45.13, sf.
1–CONTENT (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Mecca's Angel (Ire) (MG1SW-Eng, GSW & G1SP-Fr, GSW-Ire, $999,035), by Dark Angel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Folga (GB), by Atraf (GB)
3rd Dam: Desert Dawn (GB), by Belfort (Fr)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Chris Hayes. €33,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-1, $67,649. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kitty Rose (GB), 128, f, 2, Invincible Army (Ire)–Varnish (GB), by Choisir (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (20,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Nigel O'Hare, Gary Devlin & Kabin Racing Syndicate; B-Carmel Stud (GB); T-Natalia Lupini. €11,000.
3–Dare To Dream (Fr), 128, f, 2, Camelot (GB)–Debutante (Fr), by Gold Away (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€67,000 Ylg '22 ARQDOY). O-Dun Shing Lee; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Meridian International & Scuderia Waldeck (FR); T-Gavin Hernon. €5,500.
Margins: 2HF, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 20.00, 1.10, 14.00.
Also Ran: Gray's Inn (Ire), Brilliant (Ire), Snellen (Ire), Unreasonable (Ire), Sea The Boss (GB), Foxtrot Zulu (Ire), Lady Craftsman (Ire).