Oaks Treble for Peerless Snowfall Cont
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FRIDAY, 20 AUGUST 2021 A FRIDAY TO SAVOUR OAKS TREBLE FOR Friday=s action at York exemplifies the great diversity of European racing, with the lengthy spectacle of the G2 PEERLESS SNOWFALL Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup followed just over an hour later by the untamed velocity of the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. While vastly contrasting in distance and style, both races which represent important links in the chain of the European Pattern have one major factor in common and that is the ability to showcase the people=s most beloved equine characters. Very few of those who descend on York=s famous AKnavesmire@ need an introduction to the marvel that is Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who bids to provide more joy to Messrs Nielsen, Gosden and Dettori in the two-miler that acts as part of Britain=s longstanding ACup@ series of staying races. One of Europe=s more rapid speed tests, the Nunthorpe lacks an established sprinter this year popular with the attendees but it hosts some young guns with the potential to come back in years to come. Cont. p6 Snowfall sails home in the Irish Oaks | racingfotos.com IN TDN AMERICA TODAY Another Group 1, another wide-margin success for the GORMLEY TAKES UP TWIN LEGACIES rampant Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who emulated User Could young Spendthrift sire Gormley be Malibu Moon’s Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}), Ramruma (Diesis {GB}), successor at stud? Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler=s Wells) and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel America. {Ire}) in adding Thursday=s Darley Yorkshire Oaks to her Epsom and Irish Oaks victories. Anchored with only Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) behind as her stable=s La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) set an honest tempo, the 8-15 favourite tracked Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) into the straight but was left in front as her chief rival paid for her free-running tendency. On her own for the last 2 1/2 furlongs, Ballydoyle=s sixth winner of this prestige event hit the line with four lengths to spare over Albaflora, with La Joconde sticking on for third, 2 3/4 lengths away. Wonderful Tonight was ultimately disappointing in fourth, beaten 8 1/2 lengths in total. AIt felt like a truly-run race and as soon as I moved on her she was there very quickly,@ jockey Ryan Moore commented. AThe race was as good as over from the four to be honest, she felt exceptional today. I thought Wonderful Tonight was a genuine top-level performer and maybe we didn=t see the best of her today for whatever reason, but she keeps winning her races well and you can=t ask her for anymore than that. The last two furlongs, there was no real serious question asked and she=s very, very good.@ Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • 20 AUGUST 2021 Oaks Treble For Peerless Snowfall cont. the only true guide to Snowfall=s performance and three Snowfall=s underwhelming juvenile campaign has been well- impressive sub 12-second splits in the straight saw her set the documented by now, with seven outings beginning over an fastest time in this race since Catchascatchcan (GB) (Pursuit of extended five furlongs at Navan in June and culminating in the Love {GB}) in 1998. G1 Fillies= Mile at Newmarket in October, where she was the AShe=d been doing everything well and was thriving at home subject of a case of mistaken identity with the stable=s other and putting on weight,@ Aidan O=Brien said. AShe is very relaxed Classic heroine Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Those runs and has got very professional. Ryan said he ended up being yielded just one maiden win over seven furlongs at The Curragh there way too early, but that=s what she does--she quickens very and one placing, which was on that aforementioned racecourse well. I was a little bit taken aback by her in the parade ring and bow, but it was in this track=s G3 Musidora S. that the watershed how well she had done--she looked like a filly that was going to came at a now-laughable starting price of 14-1 on her 3-year-old come on for the run and she=s matured from a baby 3-year-old re-introduction May 12. Ryan Moore thought best to leave her into a very mature one.@ to Frankie for the Oaks June 4 and he was made to suffer on Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) as she bounded clear to set a record-winning distance in the easy ground. I WAS A LITTLE BIT TAKEN ABACK BY HER IN THE PARADE RING AND HOW WELL SHE HAD DONE–SHE LOOKED LIKE A FILLY THAT WAS GOING TO COME ON FOR THE RUN. Aidan O’Brien on Snowfall Snowfall returns after a four-length Yorkshire Oaks victory | PA Media Her subsequent Irish Oaks romp at The Curragh July 17 was enough to convince any remaining doubters as to her merit, but this served as a new examination taking on the likes of the proven Wonderful Tonight. While David Menuisier was happy to let that G1 Prix de Royallieu and G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine run on this ever-quickening surface, she over-raced for William Buick even allowing for having an ideal target in the 150-1 outsider La Joconde. Hollie Doyle enjoyed a real tune from that freewheeling runner as she had when also riding for this stable in the Dante here in May and she managed to see off all bar the rearguard, with the winner in a class of her own and Albaflora providing Kirsten Rausing with another highlight in a stellar 2021 and a second consecutive runner-up placing in this after Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) followed home Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 12 months ago. With Wonderful Tonight running well below-par, the clock remained TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • 20 AUGUST 2021 Yorkshire Oaks cont. AThe lads will decide whether she takes another run before the [Oct. 3] Arc, either at Longchamp or Leopardstown and it doesn=t matter about the ground with her. If St Mark=s Basilica comes back for Leopardstown, she could go to Longchamp. She gets a mile and a half very well, has everything going for her and has a beautiful mind. She had a few blips last year, but it might Senior Vice President Gary King have worked to her advantage as she learnt a lot before she ran Twitter: @garykingTDN in anything big. That experience of travelling to England is really [email protected] showing now and it=s very interesting the way it=s happening for + 1.732.320.0975 her. She is a filly that travels very well and is behaving like a filly older than she is, so it=s very exciting.@ International Editor Ralph Beckett said of Albaflora, AThere was a great deal of Kelsey Riley discussion whether we were even going to run, but she was Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN really well and thriving at home. When the ball is at your feet [email protected] you have to kick it. We didn=t win, I=m not sure we ever thought European Editor we were going to but I was pretty sure she=d run well if things Emma Berry went our way. She enjoys being ridden like that. To go and do Twitter: @collingsberry that today when she's really a soft-ground filly as well is great.@ [email protected] Wonderful Tonight=s trainer David Menuisier was far from downbeat as he retained laser-focus on the Arc. AWilliam Associate International Editor [Buick]=s report was that she=s not the same filly on good ground Heather Anderson as she is on soft,@ he explained. AI told him before the race if he Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN felt she wasn=t going on it to look after her. The plan today was Marketing Manager to give her a good blow before the next step with the Arc as the Alayna Cullen target and that=s what we did. I=m really happy with the run, Twitter: @AlaynaCullen considering the conditions were not in her favour so I think [email protected] there was no harm done. Last year when she ran in the Vermeille on good-to-firm ground she ran a similar race to Contributing Editors today, we know when the ground gets softer she can easily Alan Carasso improve by 10 lengths or more. She=s basically the same filly she Christina Bossinakis was last year on this sort of ground and that is why I=m not Cafe Racing disappointed. We had to give it a go as I wanted her to have two Sean Cronin races before the Arc, as we saw at Goodwood that when she Tom Frary gets fresh she is keen. Her next race will be at Longchamp, but it [email protected] could be the [Sept. 12 G2] Prix Foy rather than the [G1] Prix Vermeille, because the fillies are better than the colts this year.@ Irish Correspondent Daithi Harvey Pedigree Notes Regular Columnists Snowfall is the first foal out of the G3 Give Thanks S. and Listed Chris McGrath | John Berry | Kevin Blake Staffordstown Stud S. winner and G2 Blandford S. runner-up Amy Lynam | Melissa Steele Best In the World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a full-sister to three other Galileos headed by the stable=s prior G1 Prix de l=Arc de Triomphe heroine Found (Ire) successful also in the GI Breeders= IN TDN AUS/NZ TODAY Cup Turf.