By Tom Frary
Sent off the even-money favourite for Saturday's G3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF S. at a wet Curragh, Ballydoyle's Opera Singer (Justify) came home alone to reward that faith.
Off the mark over this mile trip at Leopardstown in July and second over seven furlongs at this track earlier this month, the half-sister to War Front's Hit It A Bomb and Brave Anna tracked the pace in second under Seamie Heffernan before taking control approaching two out. Stretching clear from there, the homebred registered an impressive 6 1/2-length success from stablemate Brilliant (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}).
“She had a lovely run the first day and then the second day she ran a stormer as well,” Aidan O'Brien said. “Ryan thought he was going to beat the winner the last day, the line just came a little bit soon but she's come forward lovely. These Justifys improve, the minute they go up in distance they take off. I'd say she's the kind of filly for the [G1] Fillies' Mile, she's straightforward and she goes forward.”
Pedigree Notes
Opera Singer's dam Liscanna (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) was successful in the G3 Ballyogan S. before producing the aforementioned G1 Cheveley Park S. and G3 Albany S. winner Brave Anna and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf scorer Hit It A Bomb, as well as the listed-placed Threeandfourpence and GIII Thunder Road S.-placed Border Town all by War Front.
The dual listed-winning and G2 Rockfel S.-placed second dam Lahinch (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) also produced the G3 Kilternan S.-winning sire The Bogberry (Hawk Wing), the G1 Oaks and G2 Ribblesdale S. runner-up Ennistymon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the G2 Kilboy Estate S.-placed Lahinch Classics (Ire) also by Galileo who in turn is the dam of War Front's GI Summer S. runner-up Grafton Street. Liscanna has been bred back to Justify in each of the years since producing Opera Singer.
Saturday, The Curragh, Ireland
NEWTOWNANNER STUD IRISH EBF S. (FLAME OF TARA S.)-G3, €65,000, Curragh, 8-26, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:38.40, gd.
1–OPERA SINGER, 128, f, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Liscanna (Ire) (GSW-Ire, $118,164),
by Sadler's Wells
2nd Dam: Lahinch (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
3rd Dam: Dublah, by Private Account
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-M Tabor/D
Smith/Mrs J Magnier/Westerberg; B-Mrs E Stockwell (KY);
T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamie Heffernan. €39,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-2-1-0, $59,334. *1/2 to Hit It A Bomb (War Front),
GISW-US, SW & MGSP-Ire, $626,476; 1/2 to Brave Anna (War
Front), G1SW-Eng, $213,423; 1/2 to Threeandfourpence (War
Front), SP-Ire, $275,643; 1/2 to Border Town (War Front), GSP-
US, $273,148. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Brilliant (Ire), 128, f, 2, Gleneagles (Ire)–Plying, by Hard Spun.
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (650,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-D
Smith,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,Westerberg; B-Jossestown Farm
(IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €13,000.
3–Kalispera (Ire), 128, f, 2, Ten Sovereigns (Ire)–Ask Me Nicely
(Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O/B-Ann Marie O'Brien (IRE);
T-Joseph O'Brien. €6,500.
Margins: 6HF, 2, 5. Odds: Evens, 3.20, 8.00.
Also Ran: Straya (Ire), Vive Veuve, Shelaka (Ire). Scratched: Peggy O'Neil (Ire). VIDEO.
Is Opera Singer a Group 1 filly in waiting? 👀
The progressive daughter of Justify, who holds an entry in the G1 Fillies' Mile, ran out a hugely impressive winner of the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes @curraghrace 👇 pic.twitter.com/fUVZVXvl4q
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 26, 2023
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