The Phoenix Rises in Kildare
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SUNDAY, 26 MAY 2019 HERMOSA TAKES UP THE CHALLENGE THE PHOENIX RISES Sunday=s feast features four Group 1 races in Ireland and IN KILDARE France and a Classic in Germany, but it is the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas which dominates as Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) bids to add to her May 5 G1 1000 Guineas success. Surprisingly as big as 14-1 when accounting for four of these rivals in the Newmarket Classic given that she had already accomplished much at two, the May foal did it the AGalileo way@ there as she proved hard as nails from the front. Successful in the G3 Weld Park S. at Naas in September and runner-up in both Newmarket=s G1 Fillies= Mile and G1 Criterium International over seven at Chantilly the following month, she was perhaps overpriced for her return due to the exposure she had in 2018 rather than due to level of ability. Ryan Moore has not enjoyed the best of fortune in picking the right Ballydoyle ride in Classics in recent times, but his decisions in these situations are not enviable ones given the depth of talent in the yard. It may be that he has chosen wrong again, Phoenix of Spain three lengths clear at the with the >TDN Rising Star= Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}) showing Irish 2000 Guineas finish line | racingfotos.com up well at the end of the Guineas in sixth. Cont. p11 Having played second fiddle to both Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) at two, Tony Wechsler and Ann Plummer=s Phoenix of Spain (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) arrived at The Curragh a fresh horse on Saturday to put them and all others in their shade in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. Imposing in stature, it may be that the G3 Acomb S. winner and G2 Champagne S. and G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy runner-up needed his collective experience at two and he reappeared a monster whose considerable presence marked this race at every stage. Always happy on the front end, the 16-1 chance had all bar the 6-4 joint-favourite Too Darn Hot in trouble inside the last two furlongs and he quickly put that rival in the red as he stormed to an emphatic three-length success. The champion juvenile was a half length in front of Decrypt (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) at the line, Hermosa and Wayne Lordan landing the 1000 Guineas | Racing Post with the other joint-favourite Magna Grecia disappointing in fifth. AI=d be lying if I said I thought he=d win like that, so it=s a surprise,@ jockey Jamie Spencer said. AHe=s got a bit more speed this year and I was surprised when I gave him a boot in the belly. IN TDN AMERICA TODAY He was a bit fresh today, but the last furlong was his best EDDIE PLESA: A FORGOTTEN BREED furlong.@ Cont. p2 Chris McGrath profiles veteran South Florida-based trainer Eddie Plesa. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. TDN EUROPE • PAGE 2 OF 23 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • 26 MAY 2019 Phoenix Rises In Kildare cont. from p1 AHe had some fantastic form last year and at Doncaster [in the Phoenix of Spain began his juvenile campaign with an Vertem Futurity Trophy] things didn=t work out for us. encouraging fourth to >TDN Rising Star= King of Comedy (Ire) Unfortunately we just got too far back and if we had ridden him (Kingman {GB}) in a seven-furlong Sandown novice contest in a little bit more like today I think he would nearly have won that July before taking a Wolverhampton contest later that month race.@ and the Acomb at York in August. When he met Too Darn Hot in This Classic very rarely has hard-luck stories and there were Doncaster=s Champagne in September, he appeared to succumb none again this time, with Phoenix of Spain getting pressure without much of a struggle but there was only a head between from the free-going Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) on the front him and Magna Grecia in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster the end as Spencer sought to exploit his inside draw. Shaking off following month and the evidence stopped there. that rival heading to the two-furlong marker, he had all the main contenders lined up behind but his giant stride took him into isolation as Too Darn Hot floundered and Decrypt earned third spot in an impressive upgrade from his previous best. AIt was very impressive,@ Hills continued. AWe were slightly concerned with the draw in one and were really conscious to get a good start. The plan wasn=t really to make the running, but Jamie gave him an absolute peach and he=s some horse. AHe=s a big horse and whatever he did last year was a bonus,@ he added. AHe=s got a hell of a future ahead of him. It=s so great for the owners, Ann and Tony, who have put so much into the sport over recent years and deserve every success they get. We=ll obviously enjoy today and then sit back down in a couple of days and prepare him for Ascot and the [June 18 G1] St James=s Palace. After that we=re really looking forward to Owner Ann Plummer and Jamie Spencer share stepping him up to a mile and a quarter. He has an Eclipse entry a hug post-race | Bronwen Healy as well.@ John Gosden was not downhearted by Too Darn Hot=s defeat and said, AHe ran a good race and I=m very happy with him. It Charlie Hills had endured a tough time getting Phoenix of was a big ask coming back nine days after the Dante, but he ran Spain Classic-ready and gave the lowdown afterwards. AWe had a solid race. The St James=s Palace is the target for him now.@ a setback in January which put us back three or four weeks and it=s always hard chasing a horse to get ready for an English Pedigree Notes Guineas. We did get him there, but unfortunately we had a dirty The dam Lucky Clio (Ire) (Key of Luck) had already produced a scope prior to the race so we couldn=t run,@ he explained. AWe variety of performers in the G3 Dee S. third Kingsdesire (Ire) had given him a racecourse gallop at Newmarket on Craven (King=s Best), the Listed Rockingham S. and Listed European Free week and the week after that he scoped dirty--who knows, it H. third Lucky Beggar (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) and the G3 Royal Whip might have been a blessing in disguise. S. third Central Square (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}). TDN EUROPE • PAGE 3 OF 23 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • 26 MAY 2019 Irish 2000 Guineas cont. A half-sister to the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein-winning sire Special Kaldoun (Ire) (Alzao), she also has a 2-year-old full- brother to the winner who was bought for i110,000 by Grove Stud at the 2017 Goffs November Foal Sale and a yearling colt by Awtaad (Ire) who sold to Tally-Ho Stud for i58,000 at the most recent renewal of that auction. Vice President, International Operations Gary King Twitter: @garykingTDN [email protected] Saturday, Curragh, Ireland + 1.732.320.0975 TATTERSALLS IRISH 2000 GUINEAS-G1, i400,000, Curragh, 5-25, 3yo, 8fT, 1:36.52, g/f. International Editor 1--PHOENIX OF SPAIN (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Lope de Vega (Ire) Kelsey Riley 1st Dam: Lucky Clio (Ire), by Key of Luck Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN 2nd Dam: Special Lady (Fr), by Kaldoun (Fr) [email protected] 3rd Dam: Macedoine (Fr), by King of Macedon (Ire) European Editor 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (78,000gns Wlg >16 TATFOA; 220,000gns Emma Berry Ylg >17 TATOCT). O-Tony Wechsler & Ann Plummer; B-Mrs Twitter: @collingsberry Cherry Faeste (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Jamie Spencer. [email protected] i232,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Eng, 6-3-2-0, $423,523. *1/2 to Central Square (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), Associate International Editor GSP-Ire; Kingsdesire (Ire) (King=s Best), GSP-Eng; and Lucky Heather Anderson Beggar (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), MSP-Eng, $185,021. Werk Nick Twitter: @HLAndersonTDN Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Marketing Manager Alayna Cullen Twitter: @AlaynaCullen 2--Too Darn Hot (GB), 126, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)--Dar Re Mi (GB), by [email protected] Singspiel (Ire). O-Lord Lloyd-Webber; B-Watership Down Stud (GB); T-John Gosden. i80,000. Contributing Editor 3--Decrypt (GB), 126, c, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)--She=s A Worldie Alan Carasso (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). (,55,000 Ylg >17 GOUKPR). O/T-Paddy Twitter: @EquinealTDN Twomey; B-Equine Origin Ltd (GB). i40,000. Cafe Racing Margins: 3, HF, NK. Odds: 16.00, 1.50, 20.00. Sean Cronin Also Ran: Skardu (GB), Magna Grecia (Ire), I Am Superman (Ire), Tom Frary Van Beethoven, Mohawk (Ire), Old Glory (Ire), Guaranteed (Ire), [email protected] Shelir (Ire), Emaraaty Ana (GB), Globe Theatre, Hillwalker (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com Irish Correspondent catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Daithi Harvey PHOENIX OF SPAIN BOUGHT BY IRISH Regular Columnists Chris McGrath | Andrew Caulfield | John Berry NATIONAL STUD By Emma Berry Kevin Blake THE CURRAGH, Ireland--It may not have been the way the Irish National Stud wished to announce the news but it could have had no finer advertisement for a new stallion signing than the explosive victory of Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in IN TDN AUS/NZ TODAY the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas.