Flopping when beating only one rival in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 14, last year's G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Mecca's Angel put that aberration firmly behind her when returning to her previous pomp with this clear-cut victory. Runner-up to Stepper Point (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) in this race 12 months ago prior to upstaging Acapulco (Scat Daddy) when everything aligned for her in York's premier sprint the following month, the grey had returned with what appeared an ideal warm-up for the King's Stand when second to Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the G2 Temple S. over five furlongs at Haydock May 21. Where that rival made the requisite stride forward to collect the Royal Ascot sprint, Mecca's Angel took a slide backwards despite the rain and significant market support coming for her and ended up 16th of the 17 runners. Quickly into second here, she was committed on the front by Paul Mulrennan passing the quarter pole and opened up in her customary style to put her upwardly-mobile compatriot Brando in his place. “You're always worried after Ascot that there is something you don't know but she showed her ability today, although it wasn't the strongest field for her,” trainer Michael Dods said. “There were two things at Ascot. She was in season, which she doesn't show, plus the ground. Everyone thinks she wants it bottomless, but this is her ground, on the easy side of good. That was what she had at Longchamp [when winning the G3 Prix de Saint-Georges last May] and when she won the Nunthorpe.” With York's Nunthorpe again on the horizon Aug. 19, Dods is again left looking skywards. “She doesn't want it firm and easy good is perfect,” he continued. “York will be next, but it's just nice to get her back today. I would have been happy if she had finished second today but run her race. Everyone has worked so hard to get her back, as Ascot was only just over a month ago and she finished right out the back then.” Mecca's Angel cost “peanuts”, as they say, which is not a great surprise as her dam Folga is relatively modestly-bred with a listed placing the highlight of her time racing. Working her way out of the pedigree ghetto via her second career, she is also the dam of Shadwell's classy Markaz, who last month added the six-furlong G3 Chipchase S. to his win in the 2015 G3 Criterion S. over seven. Black-type does exist in her family but is few and far between, with the second dam being the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Desert Dawn who is also the dam of the Listed Prix Lieurey winner Desert Kaya (Fr) (Bikala {Ire}). Folga keeps going back to Dark Angel and that is paying handsome dividends, with her 2-year-old filly named Dirayah (Ire) fetching 825,000gns at Tattersalls October and certain to attract intense interest when she gets to the track ahead of an as-yet unnamed yearling filly.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
KILFRUSH STUD SAPPHIRE S.-G2, €120,000, CUR, 7-16, 3yo/up, 5fT, :58.61, g/y.
1–MECCA'S ANGEL (IRE), 130, m, 5, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Folga (GB) (SP-Eng, $140,774), by Atraf (GB)
2nd Dam: Desert Dawn (GB), by Belfort (Fr)
3rd Dam: Cast Pearls, by Cutlass
(16,000gns Ylg '12 TAOCT). O-David T J Metcalfe; B-Yeomanstown Stud & Doc Bloodstock (IRE); T-Michael Dods; J-Paul Mulrennan. €70,800. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 5-7f, Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 5-7f, G1SW-Eng & GSW-Fr, 17-9-4-0, $642,509. *Full to Markaz (Ire), MGSW-Eng, $217,362. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Brando (GB), 133, g, 4, Pivotal (GB)–Argent Du Bois, by Silver Hawk. (52,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT; 115,000gns 2yo '14 TATBRE). O-Mrs Angie Bailey; B-Car Colston Hall Stud (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. €24,000.
3–Gracious John (Ire), 129, c, 3, Baltic King (GB)–Dorn Hill (GB), by Lujain. (€10,000 2yo '15 ARJUL). O-Terry Reffell; B-Skeaghmore Hill (IRE); T-David Evans. €12,000.
Margins: 3, HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.25, 2.25, 20.00.
Also Ran: Sole Power (GB), Ardhoomey (Ire), G Force (Ire). Scratched: Fort Del Oro (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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