By Tom Frary
It is not often that Bellewstown witnesses a performance with Classic potential, but on Thursday the tricky Co. Meath circuit played host to an exciting 2-year-old filly as John Oxley's Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) earned TDN Rising Star status in the Irish EBF Median Sires Fillies Maiden over just short of a mile. Always travelling with ease tracking the leading pair against the rail, the 525,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase who is a relative of the G1 Coronation S. winner Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was left in front as the leader Chummie (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}) ran off the bend approaching the three-furlong marker. Soon clear, the 2-1 second favourite was being eased as she recorded a five-length defeat of Juddmonte's Talacre (Flintshire {GB}), the half-sister to Siskin (First Defence). Jessie Harrington's Anna Strada (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) was another 1 3/4 lengths away in third.
Trainer Joseph O'Brien's assistant Brendan Powell said of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. entry. “She's a big filly. Shane [Crosse] said she jumped well out of the gates and travelled lovely. She wasn't worried about the other horse running out in front of her, he said it left her there but she was lovely and balanced and did it easily in the end. You don't know how good the race is. but you couldn't have asked for any more than she's done. A big galloping track would be more to her liking but she'd coped with that well and please God she has a good future. For a filly first time out to be in front a long way out like that there is a lot to look at. She'll be pretty useful hopefully.”
Pretty Gorgeous is the fourth foal out of the Listed Surrey S. third Lady Gorgeous (GB) (Compton Place {GB}), who raced in the Jaber Abdullah silks and was purchased by Margaret O'Toole for just €40,000 at the 2018 Arqana December Sale. At the same auction, she also bought this filly as a foal for €55,000 and those investments looked unerring astute after Lady Gorgeous's Andre Fabre-trained colt Alwaab (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) took last year's Listed Prix Nureyev. Pretty Gorgeous was offered at Book 1 and her price shot up to 525,000gns with Joseph O'Brien her biggest fan.
The second dam Cayman Sunset (Ire) (Night Shift) was successful in the Listed Dahlia S. in England and placed in the GII Canadian H. and GIII All Along Breeders' Cup S. Her daughter Kartica (GB) (Rainbow Quest) was third in the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air prior to producing the aforementioned Qemah who also captured the G1 Prix Rothschild and G2 Duke of Cambridge S. as well as enjoying her finest hour in the Coronation. Lady Gorgeous's yearling colt by Shalaa (Ire) was snapped up by Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock for 90,000gns at last year's Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
5th-Bellewstown, €25,000, Mdn, 7-2, 2yo, f, 7f 196yT, 1:42.37, yl.
PRETTY GORGEOUS (FR), f, 2, by Lawman (Fr)
1st Dam: Lady Gorgeous (GB) (SP-Eng), by Compton Place (GB)
2nd Dam: Cayman Sunset (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Robinia, by Roberto
Sales history: €55,000 Wlg '18 ARQDE; 525,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $16,877. O-John C Oxley; B-E.A.R.L. Ecurie Haras du Cadran, Enrico Ciampi & S.A.S.I.E.I. (FR); T-Joseph O'Brien. 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.
