By Tom Frary
It was a case of save it until the last minute as Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Daddys Lil Darling, by Scat Daddy) left hearts in mouths en route to delivering Aidan O'Brien a record seventh G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at a rain-soaked Curragh on Saturday. Failing to match her 22-length Listed Cheshire Oaks success when second in the G1 Oaks in June, the 10-11 favourite enjoyed the perfect trip until the straight and looked flat-footed and beaten as the sponsors' TDN Rising Star Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) swooped on the Ballydoyle pace-setter Library (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) approaching the furlong pole.
Rescuing a seemingly hopeless cause with Ryan Moore conjuring the surge that had taken her into clear daylight at Chester, she reeled in that pair inside the last 50 metres for an ultimately cosy half-length success. Bluestocking forged 1 3/4 lengths clear of the 80-1 outsider Library, who showed again what an advantage it is to be on the front end at this track.
“It's been a long time since she ran and we were treating this as her first run back for an autumn campaign,” O'Brien said. “Ryan gave her a brilliant ride. When she was in a little bit of trouble, he kept her coming forward without panicking and got her out then re-motivated her. She's a big relaxed mare and obviously the ground was way different than what she ran on the last time. It's a very difficult thing to motivate a horse on that type of ground, but she did answer for him.”
What a ride from Ryan Moore!
Savethelastdance looked in trouble, but stays on strongly to give Aidan O'Brien a 7th win in the Irish Oaks!pic.twitter.com/1sbJvfTNLz
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) July 22, 2023
Savethelastdance had offered only a slight glimpse of her inherent piledriver finish when fifth over a mile at Thurles in October, but must have shown the right stuff at home to suggest she should be lining up for the 10-furlong Leopardstown maiden in early April that the stable have used for their Oaks aspirants in recent years. Belying odds of 20-1 there, she saw off all threats from the front to book her place in the Cheshire Oaks and with the perfect easy ground and race set-up there killed substandard opposition to become one of the shortest-priced favourites at Epsom in recent years.
On this evidence, her subsequent defeat by Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on a surface riding on the fast side there makes sense as she clearly needs a distance of ground and is one of the stouter winners of this for some time. After tracking the front duo looking comfortable, she was under the pump turning for home and had received three smacks with Moore's whip by the time she reached the two pole.
Bluestocking got at least two lengths on her there and it looked all over bar the shouting, but then came the rampant closing sectionals which had so astounded at Chester but which, for whatever reason, are still not available in 2023 from Irish racing. That is a shame, as even visually it was clear that Savethelastdance had stormed through the final furlong in impressive fashion to not only catch the Juddmonte filly but beat her all ends up at the line.
“Obviously we know she stays very well and I'd say she's going to sharpen up a good bit from today,” O'Brien added. “You can bounce her out as forward as you want and I'd say she will find plenty and save plenty. She's a massive big masculine filly, she's unusual as she's a filly but she has a pair of horns on her head which is very unusual for a filly. She has a big, strong backside on her and a typical Galileo–when all the others are down on their knees that's when they kick in. She could go on to York for the fillies' race [the G1 Yorkshire Oaks], she could go to the Leger and the Arc on soft or heavy ground–all those races are open to her. It's very possible she will stay in training next year.”
Of Library, he added, “She ran over a mile-and-six last time and ran better than anyone thought, she was just getting into gear off the bend when her rhythm got broken and was probably better than her run. She's a very well-bred filly as well and another Galileo. Gavin [Ryan] gave her a lovely ride. Seamie [Heffernan] said Warm Heart wasn't acting on the ground from the time he jumped off and ground is probably the key to her.”
Pedigree Notes
Savethelastdance is the first foal out of the GI American Oaks and GII Pocahontas S. heroine Daddys Lil Darling, a $3.5million purchase by M V Magnier at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Sale. Also runner-up in the GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Ashland S., GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and GI Alcibiades S. as well as bolting to the start of the 2017 Oaks as Olivier Peslier ejected, she is a half-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and GIII Woodford S. winner Mongolian Saturday (Any Given Saturday), to the Luther Burbank H. scorer Victoryasecret (Victory Gallop) and to the dam of the GII Saratoga Special S.-placed Momos (Distorted Humor). A daughter of the stakes winner and GII San Clemente H. runner-up Miss Hot Salsa (Houston), Daddys Lil Darling's 2-year-old full-brother to Savethelastdance named Mr Hampstead was bought by Robson Aguiar for Amo Racing for $575,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. She also has a filly foal by Into Mischief and has been bred to Gun Runner.
Saturday, The Curragh, Ireland
JUDDMONTE IRISH OAKS-G1, €500,000, Curragh, 7-22, 3yo, f, 12fT, 2:43.11, sf.
1–SAVETHELASTDANCE (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Daddys Lil Darling (GISW, $1,335,305), by Scat Daddy
2nd Dam: Miss Hot Salsa, by Houston
3rd Dam: Miss High Blade, by Highland Blade
1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Daddys Lil Darling Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €290,000. Lifetime Record: SW & G1SP-Eng, 5-3-1-0, $551,098. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Bluestocking (GB), 128, f, 3, Camelot (GB)–Emulous (GB), by Dansili (GB).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. TDN Rising Star. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. €100,000.
3–Library (Ire), 128, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Words (Ire), by Dansili (GB).
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-M Tabor/D Smith/Mrs J Magnier/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €50,000.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.91, 4.00, 80.00.
Also Ran: Lumiere Rock (Ire), Warm Heart (Ire), Be Happy (Ire), Azazat (Ire), Comhra (Ire).
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