By Tom Frary
In a dramatic edition of The Curragh's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. on Saturday, Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) produced what is certain to be one of the most talked-about performances of the year as he grasped victory from surefire defeat. In rear early as Seamie Heffernan bided his time, the 9-5 favourite who had also swooped late in a course-and-distance maiden on debut Aug. 22 straightened for home with a yawning gap to close and it was still around five lengths as Monaasib (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) overhauled Snapraeterea (Ire) (Buratino {Ire}) a furlong from home. Seemingly out of reach moments before, Monaasib came squarely into High Definition's sights by the time he passed that marker and as he gained some momentum the bay cut back the deficit as jaws dropped in the final yards. At the line, there was a scarcely-believable degree of comfort in the success, which was measured at 3/4 of a length as Snapraeterea surrendered three lengths away in third.
Aidan O'Brien is inclined to wait until next year with the winner, who gave off some of the vibes that Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) had in this in 2017. “He's lovely and puts away a lot of ground,” he said. “He's a big rangy horse with a massive big stride and is one to really look forward to. It was the same in his maiden–you would say he's not going to get there and in the end he's won easily. I'd say we'll put him away now. He could start in a Guineas and he looks like he'll be a middle-distance horse. I was a bit worried about the bend, as he's never been around one before.”
Providing a 20th success in this important staging post for Ballydoyle, High Definition who at one point traded at 100-1 in-running on the Betfair exchange is a full-brother to last year's Beresford hero Innisfree (Ire) who went on to finish runner-up in the G1 Futurity Trophy and has yet to be seen in 2020. He was one of the stable's leading Derby contenders over the winter and it could be that his year-younger full-sibling makes up for his absence in the blue riband next June. High Definition is currently the last known foal out of the Listed Cairn Rouge S. winner and G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial runner-up Palace (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), one of four black-type winners for Lady Icarus (GB) (Rainbow Quest).
Lady Icarus proved a source of class, producing the G3 Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial S. scorer Furner's Green (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) who was also third in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the listed-winning G1 Irish Oaks third Lady Lupus (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and the listed-winning and G3 Solonaway S. third Mystical Lady (Ire) (Halling). The latter is the dam of three black-type performers for Ballydoyle, headed by the Listed Dee S. winner and G1 Irish Derby and G1 Ascot Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher (Ire) also by Galileo. The third dam is the high-class Sonic Lady (Nureyev), heroine of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Sussex S. and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
ALAN SMURFIT MEMORIAL BERESFORD S.-G2, €80,000, Curragh, 9-26, 2yo, 8fT, 1:45.28, yl.
1–HIGH DEFINITION (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Palace (Ire) (SW & GSP-Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Lady Icarus (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Sonic Lady, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan. €48,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $67,314. *Full to Innisfree (Ire), GSW-Ire & G1SP-Fr, $141,701. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Monaasib (GB), 131, c, 2, Bobby's Kitten–Mullein (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). (£65,000 Ylg '19 GOFFPR). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Landmark Racing Ltd (GB); T-Kevin Prendergast. €16,000.
3–Snapraeterea (Ire), 131, c, 2, Buratino (Ire)–Snap Alam (Ire), by Alamshar (Ire). (€15,000 RNA Ylg '19 GOFSPT). O/B-J P Farrell (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €8,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3, HF. Odds: 1.80, 7.00, 11.00.
Also Ran: Sir Lucan (Ire), Reve de Vol (Ire), Southern Cape (Ire), Wuqood (GB), Brazil (Ire), Ides of August, Jack Duggan, Ace Aussie (Ire), Lifetime Legend (Ire), Adakaz (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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