Cork Saturday review: Tenebrism makes winning return

Winning return from Tenebrism

Tenebrism made her class count with victory on her return to action at Cork.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly is a dual Group One winner, but remarkably returned at a very generous 11-10 favourite in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cork Stakes over six furlongs.

Saddled with a 5lb penalty, she was nicely tracking the pace set by Moss Tucker and Wave Machine, then her turn of foot under Ryan Moore at the furlong pole soon saw the race put to bed. Paddy Power and Betfair went 7/1 for the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot and 20/1 for the Platinum Jubilee.

O’Brien said: “At the backend of last year we put her into the sprint at Ascot and it became apparent that she was an obvious sprinter. We had been trying to stretch her to seven (furlongs) and a mile, but obviously it is all pure natural speed she has. She has a lovely mind, relaxes and quickens and could be very exciting for the year.

“She was at the Curragh a couple of weeks ago when Dean (Gallagher) rode her and she went up with the Guineas horses and he was delighted with her and was happy with her since.

“We took her here without training her hard and she was really only ready to come racing. That’s the way we wanted and she can go back to Naas in a couple of weeks. We thought if she got to Royal Ascot that she could run two days, in the King’s Stand and the Diamond (Platinum) Jubilee.”

He added: “On that (testing) ground we usually struggle, but the horses are forward and we have to be careful now when they are that forward. A couple of months before the ground got back it was good and they were all doing half-speeds so the foundation was in them.”

Noche makes sparkling start

All eyes in the following Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden were on the O’Brien-trained Alabama, but the well-touted No Nay Never colt never quite looked like he would oblige, albeit there was promise in his third to the very taking winner Noche Magica (7/4). Ridden by Billy Lee for Paddy Twomey, the Night Of Thunder youngster cost £230,000 as a yearling and might be good value at that judged on this effort.

Twomey said: “Like plenty of mine on debut, he was green and fell out of the gates but once he was going and joined them, Billy said he was just going through the gears. He said that that ground actually blunted his speed. He doesn’t want that heavy ground, but I felt he was ready to start and run a nice race. I don’t gallop horses in the spring and he had one breeze and a little half-speed with a three-year-old last week and that’s all he has done so far – it is natural ability with him.

“Mark McStay bought him for a new owner to the yard, Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi, who is a Dubai businessman, and I’m delighted to have him and delighted he sent the horse to us. Hopefully it’s onwards and upwards now and while I didn’t think past today, I’d say six (furlongs) is no problem and we’d love to go to Ascot in June. Wherever we go before then, I think he is good enough.”

Stack eyeing Classic tilt

Elsewhere on the card, You Send Me is set to test her Classic credentials after an impressive success in the Welcome To The Racing Home For Easter Festival 2023 Fillies Maiden.

The well-supported Fozzy Stack-trained daughter of Starspangledbanner was only seen once last season and went into the notebooks with her fifth place in that run at the Curragh in September. All the better for it, the 11/4 chance quickened up smartly when asked by Mark Enright, coming home three and a half lengths to the good over Beauty Bella.

“She is a big filly and was very weak when she ran last year so we put her away,” said Stack. “We’ll see how she comes out of this and if it doesn’t take too much out of her, we might look at a Guineas trial. She is very big and still very raw and could even make a better filly next year than this year. She wants seven (furlongs) or a mile and I don’t think she wants it that soft as she is a good moving filly. She is a nice filly.”

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