By Tom Frary
Thursday's G2 Norfolk S. was robbed of Maven (American Pharoah) after Wesley Ward opted to swerve the encounter due to the prevailing ground, but it may have witnessed something out of the top drawer as the heavily-backed A'Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) broke his maiden in style under Frankie Dettori. Electric from the stalls before being steadied more then two lengths off the pace, the 5-1 shot, second on his sole start at Ripon June 5, was produced on the front end approaching the furlong pole. Despite the significant progress of Ventura Rebel (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}), who downed Lady Pauline (Munnings) over this course and distance May 1, Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa's bay was out of reach and hit the line with a neck to spare. There was a healthy 2 3/4-length margin back to Dubai Station (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) in third, with the 13-8 favourite Sunday Sovereign (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) fading to be eighth.
“He travelled so good and did everything like a professional,” Dettori said of the first maiden to win this since Line Engaged (Phone Trick) in 1990. “He started to idle in front and there is more to come from him. He has so much speed and on this horse the ground felt fine.” Simon Crisford added, “He looked really fresh and keen to me, even going to post, so I thought I'd left him a bit short. He finished off his race so well and we always knew he had extra special talent, so that's why we came here even though he got beaten in his maiden. The Timeform guys said his figures were through the roof there, even though he got beaten and he galloped out so well after the line, so I said we had to come here. I think this was a really hot renewal and I think he'll get six furlongs. He is out of a Motivator mare, so we could look at stepping him up in trip. The doors are open for everything with him. He will be campaigned as a 2-year-old. He's small, he's neat, he's tidy and he'll have a proper 2-year-old campaign.”
“It is great to be in the winner's enclosure at Royal Ascot and I am surrounded by some really strong supporters of mine over the years, including Sheikh Mohammed,” Crisford added. “His great friend Shaikh Duaij owns this horse and is from the Royal Family of Bahrain. They have all been so supportive and it counts for a lot. Shaikh Duaij is steeped in racing history. His uncle used to own horses like Jellaby in the 1970s. He has always been a huge enthusiast and this is his first runner at the Royal Meeting, which is brilliant. This horse can now sit in that tidy packet of horses which Shaikh Duaij's uncle used to have–he is a good colt.”
Ventura Rebel's trainer Richard Fahey said of the runner-up, “He ran a blinder. No excuses, they were a long way clear of the rest and we're very pleased. He'll probably progress; he's going the right way and he's got a good mind. The soft option here was the Windsor Castle S., but I thought we'd nearly win this–I got it wrong.”
Dubai Station's trainer Karl Burke commented, “We knew coming here that he probably needed the extra furlong, to be honest, but [owner] Ahmad Alshaikh wanted to come here. We're very happy and we'll aim him at the [G2] Gimcrack S. [at York Aug. 23], which the owner won last year with a horse trained by Kevin Ryan.”
Pedigree Notes:
A'Ali is by the G1 Golden Jubilee S. hero Society Rock, who sadly died in 2016 before he could reach full potential at stud, but whose credentials have been advertised by Unfortunately (Ire), The Mackem Bullet (Ire) and several others. The dam Motion Lass (GB) (Motivator {GB}) raced in the Raymond Tooth silks without winning and was sold at this year's Tattersalls February Sale for just 9,000gns to Creighton/Schwartz Bloodstock. She is a half-sister to the G3 Darley S. winner and G1 Coronation Cup third Enforcer (GB) (Efisio {GB}), as well as the stakes-placed Canaveral (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). The third dam is the GIII Tempted S. winner Willowy Mood (Will Win) from the family of the graded-stakes scorers OK By Me (With Approval) and D J's Rainbow (Tom Rolfe) and the triple grade I-winning Sea Cadet (Bolger).
Thursday, Royal Ascot, Britain
NORFOLK S.-G2, £100,000, Royal Ascot, 6-20, 2yo, 5fT, 1:01.90, sf.
1–A'ALI (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Society Rock (Ire)
1st Dam: Motion Lass (GB), by Motivator (GB)
2nd Dam: Tarneem, by Zilzal
3rd Dam: Willowy Mood, by Will Win
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (£35,000 Ylg '18 GOUKPR; £135,000 2yo '19 GOFBRE). O-Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Simon Crisford; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $73,148. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ventura Rebel (GB), 127, c, 2, Pastoral Pursuits (GB)–Finalize (GB), by Firebreak (GB). (£28,000 Ylg '18 TASAYG). O-Abdullah Menahi; B-Crossfields Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Richard Fahey. £21,500.
3–Dubai Station (GB), 127, c, 2, Brazen Beau (Aus)–Princess Guest (Ire), by Iffraaj (GB). (30,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Ahmad AlShaikh & Co; B-Hall of Fame Stud (GB); T-Karl Burke. £10,760.
Margins: NK, 2 3/4, NK. Odds: 5.00, 16.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Strive for Glory, Emten (Ire), King Neptune, Misty Grey (Ire), Sunday Sovereign (GB), Expressionist (Ire), Firepower (Fr), Mount Fuji (Ire), Cool Sphere, Air Force Jet (GB), Real Appeal (Ger). Scratched: Maven. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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