There have been valid excuses for her missing the target so far in 2021, but Sunday's G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh offers the ideal opportunity for 'TDN Rising Star' Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) to deliver on her promise. Lacking vital experience when fourth in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 2 she was probably undone by a combination of a 12-furlong trip and testing ground when fifth in the June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks. “She clearly ran a hugely promising race for a horse coming off the back of just a maiden win when fourth in the Guineas and that was always going to be a big ask for her over a mile on fast ground in a Classic first time up,” Ryan Moore commented. “It looks like the trip proved beyond her in bad conditions when fifth in the Oaks last time, so this 10-furlong trip could prove her optimum. Hopefully she can take a step forward here, but she is up against some horses of a similar ability and in some cases higher-rated opposition so this is another tough Group 1 assignment for her.”
Santa Barbara takes on a different challenge here, meeting the older fillies and mares headed by the Australia (GB) duo, Cayenne Pepper (Ire) and Epona Plays (Ire). Cayenne Pepper is back over the course and distance of her four-length success in the G2 Blandford S. in September, where the re-opposing Thundering Nights (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) was in third. She was fourth on her return in the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on contrasting ground here May 23 and trainer Jessie Harrington believes the more lively conditions will bring out the best in her. “We think she's come forward from the Tattersalls Gold Cup and that she will appreciate the good ground, as she doesn't like it soft,” she said.
Improving at a rate of knots, Epona Plays is one of the country's leading milers following her wins in the G3 Park Express S. at Naas Mar. 28 and G2 Lanwades Stud S. at this venue May 22. She has been over this trip before and won the G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies S. over an extended nine furlongs at Gowran Park in September, so she warrants maximum respect while Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) needs to bounce back after a lean spell. She had another Jessie Harrington representative Oodnadatta (Ire) (Australia {GB}) back in third when winning the G1 Moyglare Stud S. over seven furlongs here in September and the ground was against her when 10th in last Friday's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot.
Joseph O'Brien believes that Thundering Nights can build on her narrow second in the June 4 GII New York S. and said, “Thundering Nights has been a brilliant filly for us and was unlucky not to win earlier this month. She was interfered with on the first bend and got a bit further back than ideal. She finished off like a train in the closing stages, but came up a nose short. It was a fantastic run and she has come back from it in great shape. The big aim of bringing her back into training this year was for her to be competitive in Group 1 company and her form entitles her to be in the mix in this race. Conditions will suit and hopefully she'll run a big race.”
In the six-furlong G2 Airlie Stud S., last Wednesday's G2 Queen Mary S. third Cheerupsleepyjean (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) backs up quickly having caught the eye when making up ground in that five-furlong contest where the front-runners looked to have an advantage. Aidan O'Brien puts 'TDN Rising Star' Yet (War Front) into the mix after she was 17th in that race, while Joseph O'Brien saddles the May 28 Fairyhouse auction series maiden winner Velocidad (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}).
Stayers get their chance in the G2 Comer Group International Curragh Cup, where Ballydoyle's Passion (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) makes her seasonal bow having signed off in 2020 with a career-best third in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot in October. Last year's G3 Stanerra S. winner and G1 Irish Oaks third is joined by stablemate Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire) (Galileo {GB}), last year's G1 Epsom Derby third who was 11th after setting the pace in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last Thursday. In Germany, the G3 Wettstar.de Dortmund Grand Prix sees Stall TMB's May 24 G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen winner Mythico (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) take on the older horses.
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