Now It's The Pretty Polly For Galileo's Minding

OUT ON HER OWN
On yet another days of days for Ballydoyle, Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) justified favouritism the way it should be done if you are 1-5 to bring up group 1 win number five taking on the older fillies for the first time in Sunday's G1 Sea the Stars Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Impressive in different ways when imposing her superiority over the Classic generation in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 1 and G1 Epsom Oaks June 3, Derrick Smith's bay was clear-best again with a straightforward and ultimately flawless performance in receipt of 12 pounds from all four rivals due to weight-for-age. Wiping the slate clean at this venue at which she was rocked when narrowly denied in the May 22 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, she was anchored in third early by Ryan Moore as Bocca Baciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) set off in isolation under an enterprising Colm O'Donoghue. With that high-class 4-year-old finally able to demonstrate her true ability after a run of frustrating efforts, Minding had to engage one of her upper gears just to get to her but as she hit the furlong pole it was obvious that her rival was defeated. Despite that energy-sapping move to get alongside the long-time leader, perhaps the best filly to come out of Ballydoyle under Aidan O'Brien's reign kept pouring it on as the line approached and had a commanding 4 1/2-length margin to spare there. “She's a really good filly and it is a magnificent training achievement to keep her progressing under such a tough schedule,” Moore said. “To be honest, we shut down and coasted in the last furlong having picked up to get there and so there's more there again if we need it. She's adaptable and high-class over a variety of ground and trip and I'm lucky to ride her.”

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
SEA THE STARS PRETTY POLLY S.-G1, €250,000, CUR, 6-26, 3yo/up, f, 10fT, 2:09.94, yl.
1–MINDING (IRE), 124, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 7-9.5f, G1SW-Eng & Ire, $1,361,940), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Hoity Toity (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Hiwaayati (GB), by Shadeed
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €147,750. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Eng, 9-6-3-0, $1,753,188. *Full to Kissed by Angels (Ire), GSW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bocca Baciata (Ire), 136, f, 4, Big Bad Bob (Ire)–Sovana (Ire), by Desert King (Ire). (€230,000 Ylg '13 GOFORB). O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd; B-Citadel Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. €50,000.
3–Lucida (Ire), 136, f, 4, Shamardal–Lura, by Street Cry (Ire). O-Godolphin; B-Darley (IRE); T-Jim Bolger. €25,000.
Margins: 4HF, 5, HF. Odds: 0.20, 25.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Koora (GB), Speedy Boarding (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Minding's dam Lillie Langtry was one of the better of her sex to represent Aidan O'Brien in recent times and there is a feeling that despite wins in the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Matron S. she could have achieved more had things fallen better for her. Minding showed from an early point that she was potentially on a par with her dam when second in the G2 Debutante S. over seven furlongs here in August and did what Lillie Langtry failed to when coming back over the same course and distance three weeks later to defeat her stablemate Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. It was only in the immediate aftermath of the G1 Fillies Mile at Newmarket in October that the depth of her talent was unveiled and her subsequent victory when returned to that track and trip for the 1000 Guineas was merely confirmation of her exalted status.

When Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) reached the line first in the Irish equivalent three weeks after, the shockwaves were palpable but her well-documented stalls injury may account for that reversal which was quickly overshadowed by the kind of dramatic run that Epsom is notorious for. Barged into and hit by a rival jockey's whip before being held up on the inner after Tattenham Corner, she used her mile Classic pace to extricate herself and mow down Architecture (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in much the same way she did Bocca Baciata on this occasion. Aidan O'Brien excels with every type of horse but his ability to eke greatness out of the hardy variety is unerring and in Minding he has a filly who can take knocks and come back stronger, so anything is possible from here.

Unbowed by the bangs and bashes that characterised her experiences here and at Epsom over the past month, she looked the picture of contentment out racing again following the strong stayer Koora (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) throughout with Bocca Baciata too far ahead to pursue. Ryan Moore, who was alive to all tactical possibilities as ever, was able to ride his own race and after a refreshingly benign run to the home turn was able to gradually awaken his mount for the chase once straightened. The Niarchos representative was still galloping strongly out in front, but if there were moments of concern for the odds-on backers they were soon rescinded as Minding began to engage her superior drivetrain. As she had at Epsom, she sustained a powerful gallop where others would normally tire and duly cut down the only rival to seriously test her before controlling the final furlong. In a measure of her dominance, which has to have been exaggerated by weight-for-age, last year's G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal) and the smart English challengers Koora and Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal) were upwards of 9 1/2 lengths away. “Those kind of races can get messy and Colm got way on a solid stakes filly, so she did well and we're delighted,” Aidan O'Brien commented. “She is a great filly. She loves her racing and is getting very relaxed. I suppose the [July 30 G1] Nassau [S. at Goodwood] will be next, with [the G2 Ribblesdale S. winner] Even Song (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) going for the [G1] Irish Oaks [at The Curragh July 16, but we'll see what comes up best for her at the time. I hope she will stay in training next year and I'll certainly plead that she does. She is very talented and progressing all the time.”

As well as Minding, Lillie Langtry has also produced the smart G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial winner Kissed by Angels (Ire) also from a mating with Galileo. She hails from the family of the two sprinter sires Great Commotion and Lead on Time, with the former also second in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas here, as well as the G2 Champagne S.-winning sire R. B. Chesne (GB).