PRECIOUS
Fourth in the G1 Epsom Oaks after annexing last month's Listed Cheshire Oaks, Roisin Henry and Susan Magnier's Diamondsandrubies (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) bounced back in game fashion to make almost all in Sunday's G1 Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Asserting for the lead along the rail after the initial exchanges, the 8-1 chance was pestered by Secret Gesture (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) into the stretch run and, once seeing off that rival under a drive approaching the final eighth, kept on resolutely in the dying embers to bravely hold G1 1000 Guineas victress Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and last term's G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Ribbons (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) by a short head and a neck in a three-way photo. “I rode her in Epsom and it didn't really swing my way,” said winning rider Seamus Heffernan. “Sometimes Epsom finishes a horse and sometimes the good horses thrive on it. She's obviously good and we thought she'd stay. I jumped to be forward and she landed in front, and I was happy enough to go along with it. I knew they were coming, but I knew where the line was. Aidan [O'Brien] trains them to progress from run to run and today she was at her best so hopefully there will be more improvement.”
Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
SEA THE STARS PRETTY POLLY S.-G1, €250,000, CUR, 6-28, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:07.38, gd.
1–@&DIAMONDSANDRUBIES (IRE), 124, f, 3, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Quarter Moon (Ire) (Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, G1SW-Ire & MG1SP-Eng, $460,788), by Sadler's Wells
2nd Dam: Jude (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Alruccaba (Ire), by Crystal Palace (Fr)
O-Roisin Henry & Susan Magnier; B-Premier Bloodstock (Ire); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamie Heffernan. €150,250. Lifetime Record: SW-Eng, 6-3-0-1, €218,569. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Legatissimo (Ire), 124, f, 3, Danehill Dancer (Ire)–Yummy Mummy (GB), by Montjeu (Ire). (350,000gns yrl '13 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Newsells Park Stud; T-David Wachman. €47,750.
3–Ribbons (GB), 136, m, 5, Manduro (Ger)–Sister Act (GB), by Marju (Ire). O/B-Elite Racing Club (GB); T-James Fanshawe. €22,750.
Margins: SHD, NK, 2. Odds: 8.00, 1.50, 8.00.
Also Ran: Secret Gesture (GB), Pleascach (Ire), Mutatis Mutandis (Ire), Brooch, Pollyana (Ire), Tamadhor (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result, or the brisnet.com PPs. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Diamondsandrubies, who ran sixth to Tamadhor (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) going seven furlongs at Leopardstown in her only juvenile start last September, opened her sophomore campaign with an Apr. 9 Tipperary maiden win upped a quarter mile and hit the board behind Bocca Baciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) and Pleascach (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the Listed Salsabil S. at Navan nine days later. The bay was back on song when streaking to a six-length score around Chester's tight oval in the May 6 Listed Cheshire Oaks, but suffered a horror trip when hampered badly in the straight before rallying gamely to finish fourth in the G1 Epsom Oaks last time June 5. Diamondsandrubies will now point to the July 18 G1 Irish Oaks back here. “She was very unlucky at Epsom and probably the most inconvenienced by the whole thing,” said trainer Aidan O'Brien. “She was always going to come here and we said we'd let [Oaks winner] Qualify take her chance in the [Irish] Derby. We'd like to have got a lead, but that's not the way it worked out, and Seamie gave her a great ride. [Jockey] Emmet McNamara rides her out every day at home and does a great job. We know the dam well and I'm delighted for [part-owners] Richard and Roisin [Henry]. We'll ride her a bit more patiently over a mile-and-a-half, and Qualify and Words will also run in the Irish Oaks.” Legatissimo once again fell the wrong side of a narrow verdict, having been nailed by Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the dying strides at Epsom. Pleascach, who was unable to add to her G1 Irish 1000 Guineas triumph in the June 18 G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot last time, held every chance in the straight, but failed to display her usual sparkle and finished fifth.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
