By Sean Cronin
Jessica Harrington-trained 3-year-old filly Ocean Quest (Ire) (Sioux Nation–Gold Zain {GB}, by Aqlaam {GB}) posted a close-up fourth in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup when last seen and was rewarded for her consistency with an all-the-way win in Sunday's G3 Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF Ballyogan S. at Naas.
The March-foaled chestnut closed her juvenile campaign with a second in the G3 Round Tower S. at the Curragh and followed up a win in Navan's Listed Committed S. on sophomore return with a second here in the G3 Lacken S. in her penultimate start.
Swiftly into stride and on the lead against the far-side rail from flagfall, the 10-11 favourite was set alight passing the quarter-mile marker and lengthened clear thereafter to easily account for Aussie Girl (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) by 3 3/4 lengths.
“We gave her time after Ascot, as we know she likes a bit of give in the ground, and that's why we put her away,” explained Harrington. “I think she'll go on anything actually and she's a very classy filly. Ascot [for the G1 British Champions Sprint] in October is the main target and she's in at Haydock [for the G1 Sprint Cup]. We didn't enter her for Irish Champions weekend because it's five furlongs, but she gets a free entry for that now. If it came up heavy, maybe. This summer we've had no idea what ground we're going to get, you can have good-to-firm in the morning and abandoned in the afternoon. We know she goes on heavy, she's won on heavy and she's gone on good-to-firm. She's a very versatile filly, she's classy and speedy.”
Just too quick! 🚀
Warm favourite Ocean Quest powered clear up the far rail to win the Group 3 @HoStud Ballyogan Stakes with plenty to spare.
She holds Group 1 entries for later in the season and a step up in class looks on the cards now. @Jessica_Racing | @NaasRacecourse pic.twitter.com/yQD50XZKoh
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 27, 2023
Pedigree Notes
Ocean Quest is the second of four foals and leading performer produced by a winning half-sister to G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) hero Poetic Dream (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) and G3 Prix Francois Boutin victrix Who Knows (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). She is a half-sister to the once-raced 2-year-old maiden filly Ocean Bliss (Ire) (El Kabeir) and a yearling filly by Raven's Pass. Her Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial-winning second dam Zain Al Boldan (GB) (Poliglote {GB}), who ran third in the G3 Bahrain Trophy, is kin to G3 Prix Edmond Blanc-winning sire Svedov (Fr) (Exit To Nowhere) out of Listed Prix des Lilas and Listed Prix Ceres victrix Carla (Fr) (Cardoun {Fr}).
Sunday, Naas, Ireland
TALLY-HO STUD IRISH EBF BALLYOGAN S.-G3, €100,000, Naas, 8-27, 3yo/up, f, 5f 205yT, 1:10.21, gd/yl.
1–OCEAN QUEST (IRE), 131, f, 3, by Sioux Nation
1st Dam: Gold Zain (GB), by Aqlaam (GB)
2nd Dam: Zain Al Boldan (GB), by Poliglote (GB)
3rd Dam: Carla (Fr), by Cardoun (Fr)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-J Kirkland & Mrs J M Ryan; B-Dr T K Chah (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €60,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-1, $195,174. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Aussie Girl (Ire), 131, f, 3, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Ravissante (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€35,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Peter Piller; B-Airlie Stud (IRE); T-Fozzy Stack. €20,000.
3–Secret Angel (Ire), 131, f, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Meydan Princess (Ire), by Choisir (Aus). (£68,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Nick Bradley Racing 40, Burke & Partner; B-Yeomanstown Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke. €10,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, HF, NK. Odds: 0.91, 6.00, 8.50.
Also Ran: Clounmacon (Ire), Ocean Jewel (Ire), Bellaphina (Ire), Lady Tilbury (GB), Apricot Twist (Ire), Coralillo (Ire), Honey Sweet (Ire), Queen Maedbh (Ire). Scratched: My Eyes Adore You (Ire).
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