By Tom Frary
Setting the form standard in Saturday's G3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton, having finished third in York's G3 Gimcrack Stakes, Adrian Keatley's Symbol Of Strength (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}–Symbol Of Love {GB}, by Shamardal) mastered the challenge to continue his upward trajectory on the Polytrack. Settled in mid-division early by Tom Marquand, the 5-2 favourite was delivered to overwhelm Jouncy (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) inside the last 100 yards en route to a half-length verdict over that rival, with Brian (Ire) (Shaman {Ire}) another head back in third.
“I think he hated the slow surface–he wants quicker ground,” Keatley said of Tally-Ho stallion Kodiac's 100th stakes winner. “Tom said he was having a look around in front and had plenty left in the tank. It very much depends on the ground, but the [G2] Mill Reef and [G1] Middle Park are options. His form is right up there and he's not just a 2-year-old–he could get seven next year no problem.”
Pedigree Notes
Symbol Of Strength is the first foal out of Symbol Of Love, a half to the listed winner Firebird Song (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) from the family of that sire's G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Territories (Ire), the G1 Dubai World Cup hero and leading sire Street Cry (Ire) and Symbol Of Love's sire Shamardal. Her colt foal is by Mehmas (Ire).
Saturday, Kempton, Britain
UNIBET SIRENIA STAKES-G3, £65,000, Kempton, 9-7, 2yo, 6f (AWT), 1:12.03, st/sl.
1–SYMBOL OF STRENGTH (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Symbol Of Love (GB), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Policoro (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Magna Graecia (Ire), by Warning (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (£100,000 Ylg '23
GOFFUK). O-Keatley Owners Group, Finneran & Moore; B-Tally
Ho Stud (IRE); T-Adrian Keatley; J-Tom Marquand. £36,862.
Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $86,650. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree,
or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Jouncy (GB), 129, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Joyeuse (GB),
by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK
TYPE. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Andrew
Balding. £13,975.
3–Brian (Ire), 129, c, 2, Shaman (Ire)–Alys Love (GB), by New
Approach (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€8,500 Wlg '22
GOFNO1; 6,000gns RNA Ylg '23 TATSOM). O-Mr T R Lock &
Partner; B-Alys Love Syndicate (IRE); T-Sylvester Kirk. £6,994.
Margins: HF, HD, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 11.00, 3.20.
Also Ran: Vingegaard (Ire), Li Ban (Ire), Havana Blast (GB), Miss El Fundi (GB), It Ain't Two (GB), Principality (Ire), Our Terms (GB).
✅ Big drift
✅ No problem
✅ Gimcrack third Symbol Of Strength (5/2) wins the G3 Sirenia @adrian_keatley | @TomMarquand | @kemptonparkrace | @UnibetRacing pic.twitter.com/XYtFl3DVzZ— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 7, 2024
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
