By Sean Cronin
Amo Racing's €350,000 Arqana August Select graduate Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) had failed to scale the podium in two starts since joining the David Loughnane yard, but made amends and then some with a battling victory in Friday's G2 Unibet Rockfel S. at Newmarket. The March-foaled bay, who had posted a May 24 6 1/2-length tally on debut at Wolverhampton, hit the board in both G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. when under the care of Ralph Beckett. She raced too keenly in a first-time hood for her Loughnane debut in York's Aug. 21 G2 Lowther S. and did so again sporting the headgear once more when fourth in Goodwood's Aug. 28 G3 Prestige S. last time. Hello You inched forward from fifth to stalk the leaders in a handy third after an alert getaway in this straight seven-furlong test. Bustled along for her bid approaching the quarter-mile marker, the 7-1 chance gained a narrow advantage entering the final furlong and was driven out up the hill to deny TDN Rising Star Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) by 1 1/2 lengths for a career high. Cachet's pacesetting George Boughey stablemate Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) kept on well once headed and rallied to finish a half length adrift in third.
“The Amo [Racing] team have thought a lot of her from day one,” said Loughnane. “She was very impressive on debut and you couldn't knock what she did at Royal Ascot. She's been beaten twice now by what could be described as the best 2-year-old filly in the country, in Sandrine. She arrived with us from Mr Beckett's in great order, she's strengthened up loads over the last month and we're very privileged and lucky to have a horse of her calibre in the yard. I think she'd go on any ground, I said that she deserved a Group win beside her name and I'm delighted she's proved herself. We've always felt she'll be better over a mile and she's just outstayed them today over the seven furlongs. I know Kia [Joorabchian] is very keen to potentially have a crack at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in Del Mar in November. I'm very grateful for the support the Amo team have given us. They've been a huge asset to the yard.”
Hello You, the fourth of six foals, is one of three scorers and the leading performer out of a multiple-winning half-sister to G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest victor Signs of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The March-foaled bay is kin to a yearling filly by Kodiac (GB) and a weanling filly by Bated Breath (GB). Her second dam Sun Bittern (Seeking the Gold), a half-sister to the dam of G3 Prix Miesque placegetter Moisson Precoce (GB) (Lawman {Fr}), is an unraced daughter of Listed Cheshire Oaks third Sunray Superstar (GB) (Nashwan), herself a full-sister to G1 Prix Saint-Alary victrix and G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Nadia (GB).
Friday, Newmarket, Britain
UNIBET ROCKFEL S.-G2, £90,000, Newmarket, 9-24, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:23.12, g/f.
1–HELLO YOU (IRE), 126, f, 2, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Lucrece (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Sun Bittern, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Sunray Superstar (GB), by Nashwan
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€350,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Serge Boucheron (IRE); T-David Loughnane; J-Rossa Ryan. £54,498. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-1, $119,656. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cachet (Ire), 126, f, 2, Aclaim (Ire)–Poyle Sophie (GB), by Teofilo (Ire). (14,000gns RNA Ylg '20 TATASY; 60,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (Wild Flower); B-Hyde Park Stud (IRE); T-George Boughey. £20,662.
3–Oscula (Ire), 126, f, 2, Galileo Gold (GB)–Bisous Y Besos (Ire), by Big Bad Bob (Ire). (4,000gns Ylg '20 TATOC). O-Nick Bradley Racing 20; B-Padraig Williams (IRE); T-George Boughey. £10,340.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 7.00, 9.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Jumbly (GB), Girl On Film (Fr), Majestic Glory (GB), Romantic Time (GB), Sunstrike (Ire), Femme Friendly (GB). Scratched: Kawida (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.