By Tom Frary
This time last year, TDN Rising Star Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was earning a place in the line-up for the G1 Epsom Derby by winning Chester's Listed Dee S. over this 10-furlong trip and it looked for a while in that Classic as if he had it in the bag only to lose out to Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}). Blighted thereafter by ill fortune and softer ground than was ideal, the bay still showed up well when repeatedly denied a clear run when less than three-lengths sixth in Leopardstown's G1 Irish Champion S. in September. Re-introduced on testing ground when last of five in the course-and-distance G3 Alleged S. Apr. 13, he came forward in a major way here as the Ballydoyle stable's runners tend to en route to grander schemes.
Anchored in last early more than 10 lengths off the strong tempo carved out by the veteran Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy) and Yucatan (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Cliffs of Moher was angled out with two furlong to race and delivered with a flourish down the outer to overwhelm that pair in the final 100 yards for a 1 3/4-length success. On a day when the picture for the June 1 G1 Coronation Cup became much less clearer due to the injury announcements regarding Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Aidan O'Brien is looking at a possible return to the course and distance of the Epsom Derby for the winner. “He relaxed lovely and came home well,” he said. “He has an option of either the Coronation Cup or the [G1] Tattersalls Gold Cup [at The Curragh May 27]. He's a good horse and was just beaten in an Epsom Derby.”
Cliffs of Moher, who earned TDN Rising Star status at this track and is plainly suited to this venue, this trip and will benefit from faster ground, is the first foal out of Wave (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) who was a quick filly who scored over five furlongs at Dundalk for this stable. Her dam is the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. scorer and G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas third Queen Cleopatra (Ire) (Kingmambo), whose two pattern-race performers were the G3 Bendigo Cup and G3 Queen Elizabeth S. winner Francis of Assisi (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and his sister Look At Me (Ire) who was third in the G2 Blandford S. The third dam is Sequoyah (Ire), one of the fast Sadler's Wells's who captured the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and is a sister to fellow juvenile group 1 winner Listen (Ire). She produced the crack miler and dual Guineas hero Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo) connected to another Irish Guinea hero in Magician (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Wave has three more Galileos to come, an as-yet unraced 3-year-old filly named A Long Time Ago (Ire), a 2-year-old colt and a yearling filly.
Monday, Naas, Ireland
COOLMORE CAMELOT IRISH EBF MOORESBRIDGE S.-G2, €130,000, NAA, 5-7, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:12.54, g/y.
1–CLIFFS OF MOHER (IRE), 129, c, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Wave (Ire), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Queen Cleopatra (Ire), by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Sequoyah (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Susan Magnier; B-Wave Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €76,700. Lifetime Record: SW & G1SP-Eng, 11-3-1-0, $768,160. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Success Days (Ire), 129, h, 6, Jeremy–Malaica (Fr), by Roi Gironde (Ire). O-Robert Ng; B-Robert Ng & Dermot Farrington (IRE); T-Ken Condon. €24,700.
3–Yucatan (Ire), 129, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Six Perfections (Fr), by Celtic Swing (GB). O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Niarchos Family (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €11,700.
Margins: 1 3/4, HD, NO. Odds: 1.60, 8.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Mustajeer (GB), Beautiful Morning (GB), Turret Rocks (Ire), Renneti (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
