By Tom Frary
Thursday's G3 Japan Racing Association Tyros S. lost a potential major player after Jessie Harrington deemed the ground too fast for the likely favourite Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and with the surface slick at Leopardstown it was a front-runner who prevailed in Military Style (War Front). This year more than any other it seems that the Foxrock venue is favouring those on the front end when the going is riding as it was here, but such is the blueblooded nature of the winner it is dangerous to argue that he will not turn out ultimately the best. As he clung on by a neck from his deeply promising stablemate Van Gogh (American Pharoah), the son of the 2014 G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who is in turn a full-sister to the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Forever Together (Ire) brought up a 14th edition for Aidan O'Brien. Not given an easy time under Emmet McNamara, the 7-1 shot saw off all-comers for a game score as the 4-1 favourite Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}) made it a tight finale just half a length away.
Military Style, who had beaten the subsequently listed-placed Eastern Voice (Ire) (Vocalised) on debut over six furlongs at Naas June 20 before looking in need of this extra furlong when third in the G3 Marble Hill S. at Cork July 5, was not surprising those closest to him. “It was a very good run first time and they usually improve plenty for their first start, then he was beaten only a length in the Marble Hill so he was entitled to have a chance,” McNamara said. “He's improved for the step up to seven and it's beautiful fast racing ground which suited him. The plan was to go forward and if I found him in front to go on, as he had the experience and we went a good even pace. He toughed it out well and is very genuine. He's not short of pace, but a mile shouldn't be a problem as he relaxes.”
Together Forever is making a fast impact at Coolmore, with this breakthrough second foal following the Listed Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial runner-up King of Athens also by War Front. Sent back to him again to produce another colt in 2019, she has since visited Justify twice and has thrown a colt this year. The aforementioned Forever Together captured the Oaks two years ago and her and the dam are half-sisters to the sire Lord Shanakill (Speightstown) who captured the G1 Prix Jean Prat, G2 Lennox S. and G2 Mill Reef S., and full-sisters to the listed-placed €3.2million 2018 Goffs Orby-topping Do You Love Me (Ire). The third dam is the infuential Chain Fern (Blushing Groom {Fr}), an unraced full-sister to the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine and broodmare supreme Al Bahathri. With his pedigree, Military Style could be one to reap dividends across the Atlantic as a relative of the GI Yellow Ribbon S. winner Spanish Fern (El Gran Senor) and GI Santa Anita H. hero Heatseeker (Ire) (Giant's Causeway).
Thursday, Leopardstown, Ireland
TYROS S.-G3, €59,000, Leopardstown, 8-6, 2yo, 7f 20yT, 1:28.07, gd.
1–MILITARY STYLE, 131, c, 2, by War Front
1st Dam: Together Forever (Ire) (G1SW-Eng, SW-Ire, $318,729), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Green Room, by Theatrical (Ire)
3rd Dam: Chain Fern, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Emmet McNamara. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $50,877. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Van Gogh, 131, c, 2, American Pharoah–Imagine (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. O-Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Mrs David Nagle; B-Barronstown Stud (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. €10,000.
3–Masen (GB), 131, c, 2, Kingman (GB)#tot">Kingman (GB)–Continental Drift, by Smart Strike. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €5,000.
Margins: NK, HF, 3/4. Odds: 7.00, 6.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Charterhouse (GB), State of Rest (Ire), Vafortino (Ire), Southern Cape (Ire), Reve de Vol (Ire), Mac Swiney (Ire), Swiss Ace (GB). Scratched: Cadillac (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
