By Tom Frary
This already below-par renewal was diminished by the withdrawal of the Stoute representative Across the Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), which left last year's G1 Irish and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Seventh Heaven firmly in pole position. Having beaten the Oaks runner-up Architecture (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) further than Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) had when successful in the Curragh Classic in July, the imposing bay went on to inflict a 2 3/4-length defeat on stable star Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the York fillies's feature in August. Meeting traffic when fifth in Ascot's G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. on her next start, she was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November and was back on international duty when second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan Mar. 25.
Always happy anchored in a share of third by Ryan Moore as Pinzolo set off in isolation, Seventh Heaven was ridden to take over from that rival with a quarter mile to race and gradually stretched clear to stamp herself in a different class to One Foot In Heaven. “She felt fantastic today and is a better filly than last year,” her rider said. “She's done remarkably well from three to four and this nice big galloping track and quick ground are very important to her. It was all very smooth.” Aidan O'Brien added, “She's a lovely mare who is progressing all the time and loves good ground. Physically, she is doing well and came here today with one eye on the [G1] Coronation Cup [at Epsom June 2]. We thought this might work for her. She has a big high cruise and when you drop her down she takes a bit of time to get into gear.”
The dam La Traviata, who was the winner of the GIII Victory Ride S., produced the 2011 G1 Middle Park S. hero Crusade for this stable and also Cristoforo Colombo (Henrythenavigator), who was third in the G2 Coventry S. and runner-up in the G2 Railway S. before slipping up and unseating during the G1 Phoenix S. Also related to the MGSW Jack Sullivan (Belong to Me), the dam who descends from a half to the GI Secretariat S. and GI Rothmans International S.-winning Southjet (Northjet {Ire}) also has a 2-year-old full-brother to Seventh Heaven.
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
DUNADEN JOCKEY CLUB S.-G2, £100,000, NEW, 5-6, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:34.39, g/f.
1–SEVENTH HEAVEN (IRE), 127, f, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: La Traviata (GSW-US, $129,248), by Johannesburg
2nd Dam: Piedras Negras, by Unbridled
3rd Dam: Provisions, by Devil's Bag
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-La Traviata Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £56,710. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng & Ire, G1SP-UAE, 11-5-1-0, $1,965,636. *1/2 to Crusade (Mr. Greeley), G1SW-Eng, $164,123; and Cristoforo Colombo (Henrythenavigator), GSP-Eng & Ire. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–One Foot In Heaven (Ire), 127, h, 5, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Pride (Fr), by Peintre Celebre. O-Fair Salinia Ltd; B-Craigavon Agro Ltd (IRE); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre. £21,500.
3–Pinzolo (GB), 127, g, 6, Monsun (Ger)–Pongee (GB), by Barathea (Ire). (400,000gns Ylg '12 TAOCT). O-Sultan Ali; B-Fittocks Stud (GB); T-Ismail Mohammed. £10,760.
Margins: 5, 1 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.55, 3.50, 25.00.
Also Ran: Galapiat (GB), Cleonte (Ire). Scratched: Across The Stars (Ire). 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.
