By Tom Frary
Kitten's Joy's reputation hardly needed any further enhancements after the weekend, but another came nonetheless at The Curragh on Friday as his son Crossfirehurricane extended his perfect run in the G3 Coolmore Ten Sovereigns Gallinule S. Held up with one behind early by a confident Shane Crosse, Scott Heider's Feb. 28 Listed Patton S. winner was gradually unwound to reel in the G2 Beresford S. third Gold Maze (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) with 200 yards remaining en route to a 1 1/4-length success at 7-1, with Sherpa (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) another half length behind in third.
Joseph O'Brien's season certainly went up a notch on Friday evening and the trainer revealed that he has the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup with its altered conditions in mind back here July 26. “He's an improving colt. I was a little bit worried about experience and the trip coming here, but Shane gave him a lovely ride,” he said. “He had a setback after he won his maiden last year and as a result he missed most of last season. We gave him some experience on the all-weather and he won twice up there. I'd say this is going to be his trip. I'm not sure I'd be going a mile and a half with him and we'll be looking for another race at this trip where the ground is nice and quick. The Tattersalls Gold Cup back here is an option for him and he could have another run between now and then.”
Crossfirehurricane, whose sole prior turf success had come on debut at Limerick last June before adding wins in a seven-furlong conditions event and the Listed Patton S. over a mile on Dundalk's Polytrack in February, is a son of the stakes scorer Louvakhova (Maria's Mon). Also the second dam of the Atlantic Beach S. scorer Jack and Noah (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}), she is a daughter of the GIII Miesque S. winner Louvain (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}) whose Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast) captured the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The third dam Flanders (Ire) (Common Grounds {GB}) took the Listed Scarborough S. and was runner-up in the G2 King's Stand S. before producing the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup hero G Force (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). She is kin to the listed winner Ascot Family (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}), who produced the G2 Prix Robert Papin winner and G1 Prix Morny runner-up Family One (Fr) (Dubai Destination) and the dams of the G2 Rockfel S. scorer Juliet Capulet (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and the star dual group 1-winning sprinter Lethal Force (Ire) also by Dark Angel. Louvakhova's unraced 2-year-old filly is My Generation (Speightstown), while she also has a foal full-brother to Crossfirehurricane named Gimmie Shelter.
Friday, Curragh, Ireland
COOLMORE TEN SOVEREIGNS GALLINULE S.-G3, €50,000, Curragh, 6-12, 3yo, 10fT, 2:08.41, g/f.
1–CROSSFIREHURRICANE, 131, c, 3, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Louvakhova (SW-US, $116,378), by Maria's Mon
2nd Dam: Louvain (Ire), by Sinndar (Ire)
3rd Dam: Flanders (Ire), by Common Grounds (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Scott C Heider; B-Glen Hill Farm & Scott C Heider (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien; J-Shane Crosse. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $103,343. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Gold Maze (GB), 131, c, 3, Golden Horn (GB)–Astonishing (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (550,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-The Long Wait Partnership; B-Apple Tree Stud (GB); T-Jessica Harrington. €10,000.
3–Sherpa (Ire), 131, c, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Eirnin (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien. €5,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 7.00, 6.00, 5.50.
Also Ran: Toronto (Ire), Mythical (Fr), Choice of Mine (Aus). Scratched: Chiricahua (Ire), Dutch Admiral (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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