By Tom Frary
It was tight at the finish of Deauville's G1 Prix Rothschild on Tuesday, but when the going gets tough you can rely on Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) to give her all and that was enough to provide Aidan O'Brien with another highlight in France this year. Admirably consistent since her success in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 2, the 19-10 favourite who was a latest runner-up in the G1 Falmouth S. on Newmarket's July Course July 9 was happy to follow the leaders early. When Ryan Moore asked the question, she responded typically gamely to gain a narrow lead on the stand's side with 300 metres remaining and battle all the way to the line. There was a head to Sagamiyra (Fr) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) in second, with a short head separating her and another of the French-trained older fillies in Speak of the Devil (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) also involved in the four-way go the same margin away. “I didn't have the best trip and had to move a little bit earlier than I wanted, so she had to be very brave to win,” the winning rider said.
Out early at two, Mother Earth was second as Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was third behind the smart Frenetic (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) over an extended five furlongs at Navan in June before finishing third in the G3 Albany S. nine days later at Royal Ascot. Coming back strong to record a four-length success in the G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Sprint S. over the same six-furlong trip at Naas in early July, the bay was third in The Curragh's G2 Airlie Stud S. before moving up to seven furlongs to finish in the same spot in the G2 Debutante S. back at the latter venue in August. Only 11th under forcing tactics in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. over the same course and distance in September, she rounded off her campaign with a third in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October and second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Relishing the fast surface at Newmarket for the 1000 Guineas, she may have found deep conditions against her when outsprinted by Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}) in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp a fortnight later and again had soft ground to contend with when third in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 18. The Falmouth had looked very strong form this week as Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) went on to significant big-race success and Mother Earth was adding more ballast with this gutsy effort. When it came down to a straight fight to the line with The Aga Khan's unexposed Sagamiyra, she refused to relinquish and in a race with no hard-luck stories emerged best as her form entitled her to.
Aidan O'Brien, whose French visits this season have culminated in wins in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, G1 Prix du Jockey Club, the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, said, “She is a lovely consistent filly and we have been blessed this year, but only because we're very lucky to train so many well-bred horses. Ryan gave her a great ride and she loves racing and takes it well. She's a very professional filly, she settles very well, relaxes and then quickens. She doesn't do that much then she gets to the front and waits a little bit, but that's not a bad trait. I think we'll probably stay at a mile, she's professional at a mile and she likes the pace that the milers go. I'd say the [Aug. 15 G1] Prix Jacques le Marois is definitely a possibility, because she is so professional but we'll see how she comes out of it and see what the lads want to do. All those races are open to her, she was in the Breeders' Cup last year and she ran a big race and was finishing well that day.”
Mikel Delzangles said of Sagamiyra, “We are never happy to be second, but the filly fully lived up to our expectations and she proved courageous. She is a genuine miler who may perhaps go a bit longer. Up against genuine high-class opposition, she really battled until the bitter end. It's obvious that it's better to be racing along the rail at Deauville, but, given her eight draw, this was always going to be a tough task. Regarding the future, nothing is decided. However, there are numerous options open to her–even if it isn't easy travelling this year.”
Frederic Rossi retains hope that Speak of the Devil can make the breakthrough after going so close again. “Stephane Pasquier has given the filly a peach of a ride. When she loomed on the scene going the final 200 metres, I thought that she was going to win because she has a powerful finishing kick,” he commented. “There was nothing in it at the finish and it proves that she can win her group 1 race before the end of the season, although I don't know which one it will be yet. To be in the line-up of the Prix Rothschild was already quite a daring gambit, but wow! I'm really happy. Especially as the filly carries of the colours of an owner that I have a lot of time for and which is investing in the yard. I hope that we will have enjoy many years of considerable success together.”
Mother Earth is out of Many Colours (GB) (Green Desert), who captured the Listed Dance Design S. and was second in the G3 Denny Cordell & Lanwades Stud Fillies S. before producing the G2 Premio Dormello winner Night Colours (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). The second dam First of Many (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) is a full-sister to the G3 Lillie Langtry S. runner-up Without a Trace (Ire) and a half to the Listed Marygate S. winner Patience Alexander (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) who was also third in the G3 Albany S. She is related to the G3 Anglesey S. and G3 Molecomb S. winner Lady Alexander (Ire) (Night Shift), dam of the G3 Palace House S.-winning sire of note Dandy Man (Ire) (Mozart {Ire}) and to Anthem Alexander (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) who took the G2 Queen Mary S. and was placed in the G1 Cheveley Park S. and G1 Commonwealth Cup. Many Colours' yearling filly is by Sioux Nation.
Tuesday, Deauville, France
PRIX ROTHSCHILD-G1, €300,000, Deauville, 8-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:35.81, sf.
1–MOTHER EARTH (IRE), 123, f, 3, by Zoffany (Ire)
1st Dam: Many Colours (GB) (SW & GSP-Ire, MSP-UAE, $276,926), by Green Desert
2nd Dam: First of Many (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Star Profile (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
(€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €171,420. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, GSW-Ire & GISP-US, 13-3-4-5, €891,004. *1/2 to Night Colours (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), GSW-Ity, $139,607. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sagamiyra (Fr), 130, f, 4, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Saghaniya (Fr), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Mikel Delzangles. €68,580.
3–Speak Of The Devil (Fr), 130, f, 4, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Moranda (Fr), by Indian Rocket (GB). (€45,000 Wlg '17 ARQDE; €62,000 Ylg '18 AROCT). O-Rashit Shaykhutdinov; B-Herve Viallon (FR); T-Frederic Rossi. €34,290.
Margins: HD, SHD, SHD. Odds: 1.90, 10.00, 33.00.
Also Ran: Rougir (Fr), Belle Image (Ire), Coeursamba (Fr), Primo Bacio (Ire), Tahlie (Fr), Parent's Prayer (Ire), No Speak Alexander (Ire), Novemba (Ger), Padovana (Fr), Axana (Ger), Queen of Love (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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