By Tom Frary
Aidan O'Brien has ruled the roost in this and it was the lesser-fancied Nelson who provided a seventh renewal in the last eight with a performance that arguably puts him in pole position concerning next year's Derby. Unlucky when stopped in his run on debut and sixth behind stablemate and TDN Rising Star Delano Roosevelt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a course-and-distance maiden July 27, the bay was surprised by Riyazan (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) when 2 3/4 lengths behind that rival as the runner-up in a seven-furlong Curragh maiden Aug. 7. Upped to this trip next time as he returned here, he was placed on the front end by Donnacha O'Brien and relished that no-nonsense approach when scoring by three lengths but all the talk was for Ryan Moore's mount Delano Roosevelt in the lead-up.
Tanking along and in front after a furlong, Nelson kicked in early straight as his two stablemates failed to pick up instantly in the ruck and galloped to the line in isolation with all the enthusiasm his sire naturally imparts. Kew Gardens and Delano Roosevelt stayed on late to underline the strength of the yard's Derby prospects for 2018, but this was Nelson's day and Donnacha O'Brien was impressed.”I didn't think I went too slow and it was a nice performance,” he said. “He quickened from the bend and kept galloping all the way to the line and I knew it was going to take a good one to come and get me.”
Aidan O'Brien is looking at the G1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster Oct. 28. “He's improved with every run and the experience was a big help,” he said. “He got a nice easy lead and quickened up well off the bend. You would be delighted with all three of them really. He's very well bred by Frankel out of Moonstone and is a horse to really look forward to. He stays well and looks a Racing Post Trophy-type horse. Ryan's horse [Delano Roosevelt] had only one run so he was always going to be green around there. In an ideal world we would like to have two runs coming here. He was very raw, and Ryan said he got a bit disorganised early and he had to take him back a bit.”
Moonstone is now responsible for five black-type winners from as many runners, which is little surprise given her class on the track demonstrated by success in the G1 Irish Oaks and excellent bloodlines. Last year's G3 Chester Vase winner and G1 Epsom Derby runner-up US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who had earlier disappointed on this card, the G3 Munster Oaks scorer Words (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and the Listed-winning pair Stubbs (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Nevis (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) have all flown her flag. Her listed-placed dam Sole de Lune produced the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Cerulean Sky (Ire) and the G1 Irish Oaks runner-up L'Ancresse (Ire) from matings with Darshaan (GB), with the former going on to throw the G2 Doncaster Cup scorer and G1 St Leger third Honolulu (Ire). Also from the family of another of this stable's Chester Vase winners Orchestra (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the Classic-placed sire Catcher In the Rye (Ire) and classy distaffers Dream Peace (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and Only Mine (Ire) (Pour Moi {Ire}), Moonstone also has a colt foal by Galileo.
Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
WILLIS TOWERS WATSON CHAMPIONS JUVENILE TURF S.-G3, €100,000, LEO, 9-9, 2yo, 8fT, 1:47.35, g/y.
1–NELSON (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Moonstone (GB) (G1SW-Ire & G1SP-Eng, $613,532), by Dalakhani (Ire)
2nd Dam: Solo de Lune (Ire), by Law Society
3rd Dam: Truly Special (Ire), by Caerleon
*1st stakes win. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick
Smith; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien;
J-Donnacha O'Brien. €59,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0,
$87,642. *1/2 to US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), GSW &
G1SP-Eng, MGSP-Ire, $615,008; Words (Ire) (Dansili {GB}),
GSW-Ire; Nevis (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), MSW-Eng, $206,034; and
Stubbs (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), SW-Ire, SP-Eng & Nor,
$110,592. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
2–Kew Gardens (Ire), 129, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Chelsea Rose (Ire),
by Desert King (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael
Tabor; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €20,000.
3–Delano Roosevelt (Ire), 129, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Again (Ire), by
Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier &
Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale & Chelston (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien.
€10,000.
Margins: 3, 3/4, HF. Odds: 5.50, 10.00, 1.10.
Also Ran: Riyazan (Ire), Camelback, Medal of Honour (GB), Mattymolls Gaga (Ire), Theobald (Ire), Sirjack Thomas (Ire), Verbitude (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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