Very Special could just live up to her name after coasting to a first black-type win in Meydan's G2 Cape Verdi S. Thursday. A 280,000gns Tattersalls October yearling purchase by her connections, Very Special was a five-length debut winner as a juvenile in 2014 before finishing third behind Osaila (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) in the Tattersalls Millions 2YO Fillies' Trophy. A first-up conditions winner over the all-weather at Kempton in April last year, Very Special was not seen again until Lingfield's Listed Fleur De Lys Fillies' S. on the synthetic Oct. 29, where she finished second. She filled the same position in Kempton's Listed Hyde S. when last seen Nov. 18. Away keenly from their outside gate, Very Special and jockey James Doyle quickly took up an unwanted lead and drew clear by five lengths down the backstretch. Setting a very sensible pace while enjoying an ideal trip, the blinkered chestnut had a three length advantage over More Aspen on the turn and lengthened that advantage in the lane with a few slaps from Doyle while Excilly got up on the rail to deny More Aspen second.
“Full credit to the lads who have done a great job with her back home,” said Doyle. “She's highly strung and they keep her sweet. She has done well out here and she's improved for training at Al Quoz on the turn.” Of his trip, he added, “They kind of left me to it. I was going as slow as I could in front but when I let her down–she doesn't sprint, she takes a little time to warm up, so I knew it wouldn't inconvenience her.”
Very Special is a half-sister to the European champion 2-year-old filly Chriselliam (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), winner of the G1 Shadwell Fillies' Mile and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Her dam has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old colt by Henrythenavigator and a yearling filly by Galileo (Ire).
Thursday, Meydan, Middle East
CAPE VERDI SPONSORED BY EGA-G2, $200,000, MEY, 2-4, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, f/m, 1600mT, 1:37.88, gd.
1–@#VERY SPECIAL (IRE), 130, f, 4, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Danielli (Ire), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Ingabelle (Ire), by Taufan
3rd Dam: Bodelle (Ire), by Falcon (GB)
(280,000gns yrl '13 TATOCT) O-Godolphin; B-Ballylinch Stud
(IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-James Doyle. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-3-2-1, $219,522. *1/2 to Janicellaine (Ire) (Beat
Hollow {GB}), GSP-US, $130,051; and Chriselliam (Ire) (Iffraaj
{GB}), Hwt. 2yo Filly-Eng, G1SW-Eng & US, $729,684.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A+.
2–Excilly (GB), 130, f, 4, Excellent Art (GB)–Afra Tsitsi (Fr), by
Belong to Me. (€52,000 yrl '13 ARQAUG) O-Bellman Lowe
O'Halloran Trowbridge; B-Haras du Cadran, P Hoze & C Lerner
(GB); T-Tom Dascombe. $40,000.
3–More Aspen, 130, m, 5, More Than Ready–Jade Aspen, by
Jade Hunter. ($5,000 yrl '12 KEESEP; 32,000gns 2yo '13
TATMAY) O-Mohamed Albousi Alghufli; B-Barry Weisbord (KY);
T-Satish Seemar. $20,000.
Margins: 3, HF, 2 1/4. Also Ran: Si Luna (Ger), *Malka (Fr), *Icecapada (Ire), Almashooqa (Aus). *Dead-heated for fifth.
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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