By Sean Cronin
Trainer Karl Burke's banner season continued apace on the opening day of Doncaster's St Leger Festival after G3 Prestige S. victrix Darnation (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}–Monday Monday {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) added lustre to her palmares with a clear-cut triumph in Thursday's G2 Betfred May Hill S. over a straight mile at the Town Moor track.
Newtown Anner Stud's homebred, who registered a 10-length tally at Thirsk in her penultimate start, bounded along behind a steady tempo and raced third through the initial fractions. Taking closer order once past halfway, the 11-10 favourite quickened to the fore passing the quarter-mile marker and, despite drifting right inside the final furlong, drew off late under urging to post an ultimately impressive three-length success from See The Fire (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Mark McKay's G3 Sweet Solera S. third and G2 Prix du Calvados fourth Les Bleus (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) was four lengths adrift in third as the field came home at wide-margin intervals.
“They didn't go quick and, when I asked her, she quickened up really well for a few strides and then galloped on towards the line,” said winning rider Clifford Lee. “She's very good and I'd like to see her next year when she's physically and mentally stronger. She handles that soft ground, she does stay very well and she does have a bit of boot about her as well, so we'll see next year how we get on.”
Burke added, “She's a classy filly and, on that ground, she's very good. We'll have to see how she is on quicker ground, but she's tough and she stays. She's not in the [G1] Fillies' Mile, but she is in the [G1] Prix Marcel Boussac. I haven't spoken to the owners, but she'd be more likely to get her ground in France. She's not the biggest in the world, but she should strengthen up even if she doesn't grow much. If she bumps into soft ground she could be anything.” Explaining his absence from the track, the trainer continued, “I was all set to come today, but I had a busy morning and decided not to. They don't run any faster for me being there.”
Pedigree Notes
Darnation, half-sister to a yearling filly by Fastnet Rock (Aus), is the first of two foals produced by an unraced full-sister to dual Group-placed G2 Beresford S. third Exemplar (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The April-foaled homebred bay's dam is also a half-sister to G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Blue Bunting (Dynaformer). Descendants of her second dam Miarixa (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), herself out of stakes-winning G1 Prix Saint-Alary third Mrs Arkada (Fr) (Akarad {Fr}), include dual stakes-winning GIII Intercontinental S. and GIII Franklin S. placegetter Star Devine (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and G3 Earl of Sefton S. runner-up Poker Face (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).
Thursday, Doncaster, Britain
BETFRED MAY HILL S.-G2, £120,000, Doncaster, 9-14, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:41.38, sf.
1–DARNATION (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Too Darn Hot (GB)
1st Dam: Monday Monday (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Miarixa (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Mrs Arkada (Fr), by Akarad (Fr)
O/B-Newtown Anner Stud Farm (IRE); T-Karl Burke; J-Clifford Lee. £68,052. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $149,904. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–See The Fire (GB), 128, f, 2, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Arabian Queen (Ire), by Dubawi (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-J C Smith; B-Littleton Stud (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £25,800.
3–Les Bleus (GB), 128, f, 2, Blue Point (Ire)–Huma Bird (GB), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (€52,000 Ylg '22 TATIRY; £60,000 2yo '23 GOUKB). O-Mark McKay; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Richard Hughes. £12,912.
Margins: 3, 4, NK. Odds: 1.10, 4.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Hard To Resist (Ire), Francophone (GB), Hala Abrar (Ire), Romanova (GB). Scratched: Meribella (GB), Zenjabeela (GB).
🌶️ Gr.2 winner for TOO DARN HOT (GB) 🌶️
DARNATION takes the Gr.2 May Hill Stakes for @karl_burke at @DoncasterRaces, continuing the @DarleyEurope stallion's fine form.
He is the leading first-season sire in terms of Group winners. 🤩pic.twitter.com/7z6IoHpM4O
— GBRI (@GBRI_UK) September 14, 2023
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