By Tom Frary
One of the more exposed fillies in the line-up for Wednesday's G3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn S. at Newmarket, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Pretty Crystal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}–Pretty Baby {Ire}, by Orpen) emerged on top of a battle with Dubawi's other runner Dance Sequence (GB). Sent off at 18-1, the homebred whose five juvenile efforts included a second in the G3 Princess Margaret S. raced prominently under Oisin Orr throughout the early stages. Getting to Kathmandu (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) a furlong out, the Richard Fahey-trained chestnut had Godolphin's Dance Sequence to contend with soon after but kept that 10-11 favourite at bay for a neck success, with Kathmandu tiring to be two lengths away in third.
Pretty Crystal, who was also fourth in Goodwood's G3 Prestige Fillies' S. and Ayr's G3 Firth of Clyde S., is not entered in the 1000 Guineas for which this race acts as one of the key preps. “She is a sweet filly, had been working well and was fairly fit–I was a fraction disappointed she didn't win a black-type race last year but she always ran solidly and was a little bit unlucky in some of her races,” Fahey said. “These Dubawis get better with age–I think this is the first one I've been sent–and she had a good go at it and put her head down there. I'm probably going to regret not putting her in the Guineas, but it's tough when they get beaten two or three times. I wouldn't say there is no chance of supplementing her, as it's tough to find a race with a group three penalty, but it may be the [G2] German Guineas, that springs to mind–I'll speak to connections.”
Charlie Appleby was far from downcast after the narrow eclipse of Dance Sequence. “Without winning, we are delighted with the run and that is very much what the trials are there for,” he said. “I spoke to William [Buick] and said 'we are going to have to ride her a bit closer to the pace, because the twice she ran last year she just got through the line and was learning on the job'. Today there were pacier fillies in there and I thought he might just have to ask her a bit more to get to them and I think we saw all of that develop throughout the race.”
“Even going to the line, William thought he had won and she ducks out towards the rail so it's just all about learning and I think you will see a different filly in two and a half weeks' time. That extra furlong will suit and just the experience of this itself. Needless to say, we hope there is a little bit more there hopefully.”
Pedigree Notes
Pretty Crystal is the first foal out of the smart Pretty Baby, who captured the G3 Chartwell Fillies' S. and G3 Oak Tree S. over this seven-furlong trip and who sadly died after producing her 2-year-old colt by Sea The Stars (Ire). She was a granddaughter of the G3 Prix Minerve winner Prairie Runner (Ire) (Arazi), whose son Prairie Star (Fr) (Peintre Celebre) took the G2 Prix Hocquart and was placed in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and whose daughter Pacific Rim (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}) captured the G2 Prix de Malleret before throwing the G3 JRA Plate winner Paths Of Glory (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}).
Tough and tenacious 💪
Dubawi filly Pretty Crystal fends off short-priced favourite Dance Sequence to prevail in the Group 3 @bet365 Nell Gwyn Stakes for @RichardFahey at @NewmarketRace 🟡⚫️ pic.twitter.com/cD0GeWyzWI
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 17, 2024
Wednesday, Newmarket, Britain
LANWADES STUD NELL GWYN S.-G3, £85,000, Newmarket, 4-17, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:22.90, gd.
1–PRETTY CRYSTAL (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Pretty Baby (Ire) (MGSW-Eng, $167,631), by Orpen
2nd Dam: Premiere Danseuse (GB), by Gold Away (Ire)
3rd Dam: Prairie Runner (Ire), by Arazi
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (IRE); T-Richard Fahey; J-Oisin Orr. £48,204. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-0, $93,787. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dance Sequence (GB), 128, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Tearless (GB), by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £18,275.
3–Kathmandu (Ire), 128, f, 3, Showcasing (GB)–Alegra (GB), by Galileo (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (50,000gns 2yo '23 TATJUL). O-Sangster & Babington; B-Sir Robert Ogden (IRE); T-Brian Meehan. £9,146.
Margins: NK, 2, 1 3/4. Odds: 18.00, 0.91, 40.00.
Also Ran: True Cyan (Ire), Heritage House (Ire), Born To Rock (Ire), Matrika (Ire), Spiritual (Ire), Gushing Gold (Ire), Lexington Belle (Ire). Scratched: Queen Of Zafeen (Ire).
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