By Sean Cronin
Aidan O'Brien trainee Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never–Muirin {Ire}, by Born To Sea {Ire}), who was collared in the dying strides of June's G2 Railway S. at the Curragh, outpointed reopposing stablemate The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in last month's G2 Darley Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly and enhanced a banner weekend for his all-conquering sire (by Scat Daddy) with a career high in Sunday's G1 Darley Prix Morny – Finale des Darley Series at Deauville. In so doing, he provided O'Brien with a fourth winner of the six-furlong contest and a first since Scat Daddy's sire Johannesburg (Hennessy) wrought havoc in 2001. The February-foaled bay had followed up a debut triumph at Dundalk in April with wins in the Curragh's May 2 Listed First Flier S. and May 21 G3 Marble Hill S., and preceded his Railway run with a fourth in June's G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot. The 13-10 second choice broke sharply from stall one and duelled for the lead with G3 Prix de Cabourg runner-up Manhattan Jungle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) until halfway. Having subdued that rival, he was stoked up soon after passing the quarter-mile marker as Amo Racing's G1 Phoenix S. second and 6-5 favourite Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) threatened to crash the party and kept on powerfully under a Ryan Moore drive inside the final furlong to prevail by a half length in game fashion. The Antarctic finished 1 1/2 lengths back in third.
“He is a very mature, quick horse with a lot of speed,” said O'Brien. “He travelled well in front and had all the answers when challenged. His career has been speed orientated, but there is a possibility that he might come back [to France] for the seven-furlong Group 1 [Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere] in October. We shall also consider the [G1] Middle Park S., over six furlongs [at Newmarket], for him. At this stage, he is a bigger horse and a more mature animal than [G1 Phoenix S. winner] Little Big Bear, but they have never met. You can look at the form and have form your own opinion as to which one is the better.”
Richard Hannon is hopeful the runner-up will claim his elite-level rosette in time and added. “Persian Force ran a great race and we can't complain. He is a very speedy horse, but may have been a shade unlucky today. His day will come.”
Pedigree Notes:
Blackbeard, who becomes the fifth elite-level winner for his sire, is the first of three foals produced by Muirin (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}), whose own dam Girouette (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) collected the G3 Phoenix Sprint S. and is also the second dam of Listed Prix du Grand Camp-winning Polish champion Night Tornado (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). Blackbeard's stakes-placed third dam Vassiana (Fr) (Anabaa), whose decsendants include dual Group 3 winner Max Vega (Ire), is a full-sister to G3 Prix d'Arenberg victrix Villadolide (Fr) and Listed Prix Hampton and Listed Prix du Cercle scorer Victorieux (Fr). The next dam Domludge (Lyphard) is a half-sister to multiple elite-level winner and G1 Prix de Diane heroine Mrs Penny (Great Nephew {GB}) and a full-sister to G3 Prix Vanteaux third Cadeaux d'Amie (Lyphard), herself the dam of multiple Group 1-winning 1000 Guineas heroine Hatoof (Irish River {Fr}). Muirin has a yearling full-sister and weanling full-brother to Blackbeard to come.
Sunday, Deauville, France
DARLEY PRIX MORNY – FINALE DES DARLEY SERIES-G1, €350,000, Deauville, 6-19, 2yo, c/f, 6fT, 1:09.91, gd.
1–BLACKBEARD (IRE), 126, c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Muirin (Ire), by Born To Sea (Ire)
2nd Dam: Girouette (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Vassiana (Fr), by Anabaa
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (270,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Newstead Breeding LLC (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €199,990. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 7-5-1-0, €374,730. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Persian Force (Ire), 126, c, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Vida Amorosa (Ire), by Lope De Vega (Ire). (€75,000 Wlg '20 GOFNOV; €225,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Tom Lacy (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. €80,010.
3–The Antarctic (Ire), 128, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Anna Law (Ire), by Lawman (Fr). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (750,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Magnier, Tabor, Smith, Westerberg & Brant; B-Bally Philip Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €40,005.
Margins: HF, 1HF, 2. Odds: 1.30, 1.20, 8.10.
Also Ran: Manhattan Jungle (Ire), The Ridler (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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