By Sean Cronin
Coolmore's G3 Naas Fillies Sprint victrix Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Scintilating {GB}, by Siyouni {Fr}) looked booked for the also-ran slots in Friday's G3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, but unleashed a spectacular burst inside the final furlong to double her pattern-race tally in impressive fashion.
The 425,000gns October Book 1 yearling and well-backed 15-8 favourite raced off the pace, nestled in the pack, through halfway in this straight six-furlong dash. Bustled along passing the quarter-mile marker, she made an exaggerated manoeuvre to the stands' side approaching the final furlong and went through an array of gears–with Simmering (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in tow–to overhaul pacesetting stablemate Heavens Gate (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the dying embers. Arguably the juvenile performance of the meeting, Fairy Godmother's win was a fifth of the week for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.
“Ryan gave Fairy Godmother an incredible ride,” the winning trainer said. “She's an incredible filly. We thought she couldn't get beat the first day, and couldn't believe she got beat. Ryan said he was just going to teach her and educate her the next day, and take his time on her, and she did the same thing. He came from an impossible position and won well on the line. We knew Ryan was going to produce her late and we knew she had a devastating turn of foot, because she showed it the last day [at Naas]. What she did then was very rare, but to come up another level and do it here is unbelievable. She's only going to get better with every race. She will get stronger, she will stay and she's very exciting. Ryan was supercool on her. He was worried where he was drawn [in stall six] and that he had no cover, which is why he was going to take his time. Ryan thought she was going to be a [G1] Moyglare filly, so seven [furlongs] would be no problem for her this year. She's obviously exceptional and our other filly, [third-placed] Heaven's Gate, ran a stormer.”
Moore, once again, was his own biggest critic and added, “I gave Fairy Godmother an impossible task and she got me out of a hole. It's incredible that she was able to win from that position, so all credit to her. She is a very good filly. Down at the start she looked different class. She suggested that before she ran, and when she won last time. Today, that was a big performance.”
Owner Michael Tabor was keen to sing the praises of Fairy Godmother's breeder, Paul McCartan, and commented, “I saw Fairy Godmother run last time and I said to Aidan, when you see that turn of foot, which she obviously has, you know she's a good animal. Today, she just showed how good she is. I want to mention the breeder, Paul McCartan, thanks to him. He knows how to breed, let's put it that way. It makes the adrenaline really high and that's what you look forward to. We have many horses, we've had some good horses, and some fantastic horses. Hopefully, she's in the category of a fantastic horse, because they are the things you look forward to. When you have champions, with Aidan producing them like he does, then it's very exciting. Once it becomes not exciting, then it's over.”
Reflecting on the performance of runner-up Simmering, Ollie Sangster said, “I am delighted, but it's tough to come so close. I've got a really good team at home and we were hopeful coming here. She'd done really well from her debut to here, and that's all you can do. I think she will stay seven [furlongs], but she has got a lot of speed and, hopefully, she can be a nice flag bearer for us this season.”
Pedigree Notes
Fairy Godmother is the second of three foals and one of two black-type performers produced by a winning half-sister to G2 Richmond Stakes victor Prolific (Ire) (Compton Place {GB}) and the stakes-winning Deal Breaker (GB) (Night Shift). The March-foaled chestnut is a half-sister to last term's Listed Julia Graves Roses S. third Sketch (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and a yearling filly by Mehmas (Ire). Fairy Godmother's third dam Zoom Lens (Ire) (Caerleon), whose descendants include G1 Middle Park Stakes third Steady Pace (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), is a half-sister to the dam of G1 Gran Criterium hero Hello (Ire) (Lycius).
That is MAGIC from Ryan Moore to get Fairy Godmother to win the Albany Stakes at Royal @Ascot! pic.twitter.com/yFSRxGa8kH
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2024
Friday, Ascot, Britain
ALBANY S.-G3, £125,000, Ascot, 6-21, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:13.48, g/f.
1–FAIRY GODMOTHER (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Scintilating (GB), by Siyouni (Fr)
2nd Dam: Photo Flash (Ire), by Bahamian Bounty (GB)
3rd Dam: Zoom Lens (Ire), by Caerleon
(425,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Ballyphilip Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £70,888. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 3-2-1-0, $138,310. *1/2 to Sketch (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Simmering (GB), 128, f, 2, Too Darn Hot (GB)–Cashla Bay (GB), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (70,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Mrs B V Sangster, Justin Casse & Dr J Berk; B-Lofts Hall Stud (GB); T-Ollie Sangster. £26,875.
3–Heavens Gate (Ire), 128, f, 2, Churchill (Ire)–Itqaan, by Danzig. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £13,450.
Margins: 3/4, NK, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.88, 9.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Mountain Breeze (Ire), California Dreamer (GB), Royalty Bay (Ire), Twafeeg (Ire), Cradle Of Love (Ire), Jayvee (Ire), Substitute (Ire), Hot Darling (Ire), Convo (Ire), Nad Alshiba Snow (Ire), Kylie Of Lochalsh (Ire), Peregrine Falcon (Ire), Burning Pine. Scratched: Liberalised (GB).
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