Fran Berry takes a close look at a couple of maidens from the backend of the Irish Flat season last year, with a view to unearthing Classic hopes and handicappers.
One: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, Cork, September 1 2019
PASSION is a filly I really like. She’s a full sister to Capri, the Irish Derby and St Leger winner, and she remains on my radar for the Oaks at a big price (25/1 at the time of writing), whenever that might be.
Working backwards, she ran in the Group Two May Hill Stakes at Doncaster on September 12, but that came only 11 days after her maiden success at Cork and it was just too much too soon for her on particularly firm ground.
Before that she won stylishly at Cork in a hot maiden that has worked out incredibly well. It suggests to me that she’s a Classic contender.
Let’s have a close look at that Cork maiden.
Passion, tipped up by @Ui_Maine on the RTV website, scores nicely in the @corkracecourse opener under @donnacha_obrien for the @Ballydoyle team
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 1, 2019
More Tips ➡️https://t.co/zMjpDSoMTC pic.twitter.com/kH0BdyLo7m
The second, UNKNOWN PLEASURES of Jessica Harrington’s, is a smart filly, even if she did disappoint in heavy ground in a Group Three at the Curragh afterwards.
The third, AMMA GRACE, a subsequent maiden winner at Leopardstown (we’ll look at that race in a moment) looks a very smart filly in her own right for Dermot Weld and Moyglare Stud. She’s from a highly-talented family and is a full sister to Search For A Song and Falcon Eight, while she’s a half-sister to Free Eagle, Custom Cut and Sapphire.
The fourth, NEW YORK GIRL, won the Group Three Weld Park Stake son her next start. The fifth, LEMISTA, won a Group Three at Naas, the Park Express Stakes, on March 23. And the seventh, STELA STAR, won the Group Three Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown last October.
Passion and Amma Grace look the very best fillies to take out of the race, but to be beaten into eighth in such a hot race was no disgrace.
SASTA was that horse and she was narrowly beaten in a few nurseries at the back-end of last year on soft and heavy ground. A daughter of Dawn Approach, she could be very well treated off 67 for a handicap on better ground when the season resumes.
Two: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, Leopardstown, October 19 2019
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So, to the Leopardstown maiden that AMMA GRACE won.
Oisin Orr made full use of her good draw in two and sent her on a long way from home in tough conditions. She opened up a clear lead, outclassing her rivals, but got tired near the finish and just clung on to win by three-parts-of-a-length.
It was a very taking performance and, given that aforementioned breeding, she’s a filly to look forward to this season. She’d be one of Dermot Weld’s more likely Classic contenders this campaign.
The second, ROCA ROMA, made a very good debut from stall 15 for Ger Lyons. She’s in the same ownership as Roca Tumu and is a half-sister to the 2013 Britannia Stakes winner, as well.
This daughter of Australia a sure-fire maiden winner, one would imagine.
The third, EPONA PLAYS, is along the same lines and is another daughter of Australia. She was having her second start but again ran a very good race. She could be placed to advantage by Willie McCreery, too.
The fourth home, HOLY ROMAN EMPRESS, is worth keeping an eye on for Aidan O’Brien. She has a mark of 80 after this and the American Pharoah filly is related to a host of David Wachman horses that improved at three. She could, too.
But the other one I’d really like to take out of the race is the fifth, PYRAMID ROCK.
Jessie Harrington’s filly is by Fastnet Rock out of a Galileo mare and she made a very eye-catching debut, again from a wide draw. She was green throughout and the penny was only dropping late on.
She looks a filly to follow from a stable swarming with talented three-year-old fillies.
A place behind Pyramid Rock was SALSA, again for Aidan O’Brien.
She’s got a rating of 73 and is definitely one to keep an eye on in handicaps. If this race is as good as I think it was she shaped okay in the circumstances and looks to have ability relative to a lower level.
On her debut she was sent off at 5/1 for a good Glorious Goodwood maiden won by Vividly and she shaped okay in sixth.
A full-sister to Hydrangea and Hermosa, a mark of 73 could seriously underestimate her ability.
