By Tom Frary
Lah Ti Dar comes from a family of pure gold, but which has yet to garner Classic success and this latest potential star of the firmament may bid to put that right in the June 1 G1 Epsom Oaks. Like Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Taghrooda (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) before her, the homebred TDN Rising Star went through this trial looking every inch the right type for that feature. Keen initially under Frankie Dettori, the impressive six-length winner of a well-contested maiden over this trip at Newbury Apr. 20 followed the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas and G3 UAE Oaks-placed Expressiy throughout. When asked, she took time to get organised on the ever-quickening surface but duly subdued that rival with a furlong to race before winning with some comfort.
Trainer John Gosden is focused on Epsom now. “It is only the second race of her life and she was well suited by the track and conditions at Newbury,” he said. “The ground was quick enough, but she handled it well. I think she is screaming out for a mile and a half on good ground. We will have a spin round Epsom at 'Breakfast with the Stars'. She would have to absolutely loathe Epsom for us not to run in the Oaks.”
The Lloyd Webber's foundation mare Darara proved a revelation for their Watership Down Stud, producing four group 1 winners before her death in 2012. They included the G1 Prince of Wales's S. and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hero Rewilding (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ire}) and the Hong Kong champion Diaghilev (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), as well as Dar Re Mi who put her owner-breeders on the map with successes in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks, G1 Pretty Polly S. and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic. Her daughter So Mi Dar also by Dubawi looked certain to make an impact in the Oaks in 2016 after winning the G3 Musidora S., only to miss out due to injury. Dar Re Mi has since produced an
as-yet unnamed 2-year-old colt and a yearling colt to further matings with Dubawi.
Sunday, Newmarket, Britain
TWEENHILLS PRETTY POLLY S.-Listed, £50,000, NEW, 5-6, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:04.26, g/f.
1–LAH TI DAR (GB), 126, f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Dar Re Mi (GB) (Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 11-14f, G1SW, Eng, Ire & UAE, GSW & G1SP-Fr, $4,359,112), by Singspiel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Darara (Ire), by Top Ville (Ire)
3rd Dam: Delsy (Fr), by Abdos (Fr)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Lord Lloyd-Webber; B-Watership Down Stud (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £28,355. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $46,159. *Full to So Mi Dar (GB), GSW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $242,742; and 1/2 to De Treville (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MGSP-Fr, $114,187.
2–Expressiy (Fr), 126, f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Express American (Fr), by American Post (GB). (€37,000 RNA Ylg '16 GOFORB; €260,000 2yo '17 ARQMAY). O-Godolphin. £10,750.
3–Qazyna (Ire), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)–First (GB), by Highest Honor (Fr). O-Nurlan Bizakov. £5,380.
Margins: 3 1/4, 5, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.00, 8.00, 2.50.
Also Ran: Espadrille (GB), Lumi (Ire), Model (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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