The first juvenile Group 1 of the season went the way of a filly as the Juddmonte-owned Babouche maintained her unbeaten record in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last Saturday.
Babouche maintains her unbeaten record (Pic – Irish Racing)
Trained by Ger Lyons, the daughter of Kodiac ran on resolutely over the final half a furlong to catch leader and favourite Whistlejacket, before going on to win by a length and a half. The runner-up was slightly impeded on the run to the line, but the winner was full value for her victory and has shown plenty of class and guts in her three starts.
Aidan O’Brien’s runner-up Whistlejacket was not disgraced and is one of a number of potentially high-class Ballydoyle two-year-olds we have seen run over the past fortnight. The No Nay Never colt is a full brother to 2022 Phoenix winner Little Big Bear and shapes as being a sprinter.
Earlier on the Curragh card the beautifully bred Delacroix opened his account at the second time of asking in a seven-furlong maiden. By Dubawi out of Tepin, who came from North America to win the 2016 Queen Anne Stakes, the O’Brien-trained colt made all and came home a comfortable winner. He was cut to 25/1 from 33s for next year’s 2000 Guineas behind stablemate Henri Matisse.
The runner-up, stablemate Acapulco Bay is another for the notebook. Second last of thirteen entering the final furlong but flew home for second, beaten a length and three-quarters.
O’Brien and Moore doubled up with even-money favourite Ides Of March in the Revamp Conservation And Restoration Irish EBF Maiden.
Fourth on debut over six furlongs, he was then a beaten favourite over a furlong further but made no mistake back down at six and O’Brien views him as more of a sprinter.
“He could be one for something like the Middle Park with a run in between. I think there is a six-furlong Listed race back here that he could go for next.”
With Ryan Moore at the Curragh, former Ballydoyle apprentice Sean Levey came in for the spare ride aboard Lake Victoria in the JenningsBet Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket.
The talented daughter of Frankel confirmed the promise of her debut success to give Aidan O’Brien a first victory in the Group 3 feature.
Keen away from the stalls, Levey was content to go forward on the market leader, who was still travelling powerfully entering the final quarter mile and showed her class when it mattered to come home two lengths clear of Charlie Appleby’s 2/1 second-favourite Mountain Breeze.
Levey was impressed with his mount and said: “She’s not short of speed, but at the same time she stayed that seven (furlongs) strong I thought. I think she will be a nice filly.”
O’Brien appears blessed with some talented fillies this year with both Bedtime Story and Fairy Godmother high in the betting for next season’s Classics, but Lake Victoria is another from Ballydoyle worth following later this season and for next year’s Classic’s.
