By Tom Frary
Fast-becoming renowned for his lethal finishing kick, Gary Devlin's A Case of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) had just missed out in the G1 Flying Five but the line was there in time for him in Sunday's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines, a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar in November.
Having only his second start at this five-furlong trip, the 3-year-old who was supplemented following his Curragh flourish on Irish Champions Weekend needed every centimetre of it to break the heart of the runaway Air de Valse (Fr) (Mesnil Des Aigles {Fr}) and prevail by a short head. Kept in the hunt by Ronan Whelan racing amongst the pack early, the 10-1 shot matched his rider's tenacity in carving out enough space to begin his pursuit of Corine Barande-Barbe's ParisLongchamp specialist who had shrugged off Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) on the front end passing two out. It was desperate stuff entering the closing stages, with the 48-1 looking set to cling on but the star of the Adrian McGuinness yard pointed his head out for the mirror and had it there marginally ahead for the judge. Nothing else was able to close out of the main bunch and there was a yawning five-length margin back to Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead), who had won this in 2019 and was second last year, while the 5-2 favourite Suesa (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) was a laboured fifth. “When he was second in the Flying Five he was my first ever runner in a group 1 and we supplemented him for this race last week because I knew he'd improve,” trainer “Ado” explained. “He was a three-grand yearling and a very cheap horse–I just can't believe it.”
Coming to the fore when taking The Curragh's re-arranged G3 Anglesey S. in October for trainer John McConnell, A Case of You the G3 Goffs Lacken S. showed he was no flash-in-the-pan on his seasonal return when comprehensively accounting for the subsequent black-type scorers Logo Hunter (Ire) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) and Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) in a six-furlong conditions event at Dundalk Mar. 19. Last of 12 trying an extra furlong in the Listed Ballylinch Stud 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown Apr. 11, the bay had the eventual G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) back in fourth reverting to six in the G3 Lacken S. at Naas May 16. Only 11th in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 18, he was third after a break in The Curragh's G3 Phoenix Sprint S. Aug. 8 before his late show against Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass) in the Sept. 12 Flying Five.
“He's just got better and better and I think he'll be a very good horse next year,” McGuinness said. “He's thriving and I knew he was right today–he wasn't when he ran in the Commonwealth Cup. I have a good sprinter that won the other night and he can't lay up with this horse. Ronan's a world-class jockey and I told him not to panic, as I knew he'd stay really well. He'll be better on better ground and we'll definitely look at the Breeders' Cup. It's either that or we put him away and look at Dubai in the spring–he's definitely going to travel.”
Barande-Barbe had to suffer the dejection of losing out so late in the game, having looked certain to prevail with her homebred Air de Valse whose efforts over this strip include a win in the 2020 G3 Prix du Petit Couvert when she had beaten last year's Abbaye hero Wooded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). “It is so frustrating to lose by so little, as to win a group 1 race changes the life of a trainer,” she said. “I'm so proud of my filly–Longchamp is her garden.”
A Case of You, who becomes the first group 1 winner for his Haras d'Annebault-based sire, is out of Karjera (Ire) (Key of Luck) who is a full-sister to the Listed Rochestown S. winner Akanti (Ire) and to Lock and Key (Ire) who was placed in the GIII Las Cienegas H., the G3 Brownstown S., G3 Round Tower S. and G3 International S. From the family of the GII Delaware H. winner Summer Wind Dancer (Siberian Summer) and the GIII All American H. and G3 Diomed S.-winning sire Bluegrass Prince (Ire), Karjera's unraced 2-year-old filly by Alhebayeb (Ire) is named Ali Babes (Ire).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DE L'ABBAYE DE LONGCHAMP LONGINES-G1, €350,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-3, 2yo/up, 5fT, :58.02, hy.
1–A CASE OF YOU (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Hot Streak (Ire)
1st Dam: Karjera (Ire), by Key of Luck
2nd Dam: Lock's Heath, by Topsider
3rd Dam: Lock's Dream, by Youth
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€3,000 RNA Ylg '19 GOFSPT). O-Gary Devlin; B-Limestone and Tara Studs (IRE); T-Adrian McGuinness; J-Ronan Whelan. €199,990. Lifetime Record: MGSW & G1SP-Ire, 10-5-1-2, $345,390. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Air de Valse (Fr), 133, m, 5, Mesnil des Aigles (Fr)–Air Bag (Fr), by Poliglote (GB). O/B/T-Corine Barande-Barbe (FR). €80,010.
3–Glass Slippers (GB), 133, m, 5, Dream Ahead–Night Gypsy (GB), by Mind Games (GB). O/B-Bearstone Stud Ltd (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. €40,005.
Margins: SHD, 5, SHD. Odds: 10.80, 48.00, 5.60.
Also Ran: Mo Celita (Ire), Suesa (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), O Trasno (Fr), Winter Power (Ire), Lady In France (GB), Romantic Proposal (Ire), Pradaro (Fr), Wild Majesty (Ire), Dandalla (Ire), Berneuil (Ire). Scratched: Urban Beat (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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