By Tom Frary
On what amounted to one of Ballydoyle's better days of 2019, TDN Rising Star Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) gave a significant pointer to next year's Classics as he emerged on top in Saturday's G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. at Leopardstown. Sent off the 1-2 favourite having beaten the subsequent winner Shekhem (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) by 3 1/4 lengths in a Curragh maiden Aug. 30, the full-brother to Japan (GB) broke fast and was free without cover in the hands of Ryan Moore early. Eventually settling behind the pace set by the stable's Cormorant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in a share of fourth, the bay enjoyed a clear run turning in and after taking command with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining gave more to hold Sinawann (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths. “He might race again this season, as he's three weeks ahead of where Japan was at the same time but the lads will see,” trainer Aidan O'Brien said. “He has a lovely mind and that is also Japan's main strength.”
Mogul, who already looks in the mould of the yard's former great Derby horses, will be surprising nobody if he goes on to emulate this race's 2013 winner Australia (GB) at Epsom next June. From his debut second at Gowran Park Aug. 14 to his maiden win on second start to this, he has made major strides and his pedigree suggests it can only continue skywards. “Ryan had to move early on him and when he got to the front he had a good look,” O'Brien added. “I'd say he would have learned plenty and we've been very happy with his progress from race to race. Ryan was very complimentary when he came in off him.”
Despite having raced solely at a mile so far, Mogul could step back in trip to seven furlongs according to his trainer. “He would have a choice of two races, probably the [Oct. 12 G1] Dewhurst [at Newmarket] or the [Oct. 26 G1] Vertem Futurity [at Doncaster]. We won't over-race him. Obviously we think he's a Classic horse, a Guineas-Derby type horse.”
Mogul's listed-placed dam Shastye (Ire) (Danehill) is one of the biggest names in the business, her progeny sales making eye-watering reading. Her 2008 filly Shabyt (GB) (Sadler's Wells) made 350,000gns while her 2011 foal was Maurus (GB) (Medicean {GB}) who sold for €320,000 at Arqana before winning a stakes race and placing in multiple group races in Australia. In between there was Secret Gesture (GB), the first of six foals by Galileo who took the G2 Middleton S. and was runner-up in the G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Preis der Diana.
Her second by that sire was the G3 International S. winner Sir Isaac Newton (GB), whose 3.6million gns purchase by M V Magnier at the 2013 Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale was only 200,000gns more than Mogul's tag last autumn. In between, her daughter Secret Soul (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}) made 800,000gns and the unraced Secret Gaze (GB) by Galileo 1.35million gns. Japan was a relative snip at just 1.3million gns at Park Paddocks in October 2017 and he rates the best of them all after his G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Juddmonte International successes this summer. With a filly foal by Galileo to come, Shastye has a honest crack at producing a winner of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe that her half-brother Sagamix (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) captured in 1998.
Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
KPMG CHAMPIONS JUVENILE S. (GOLDEN FLEECE S.)-G2, €150,000, Leopardstown, 9-14, 2yo, 8fT, 1:42.59, gd.
1–MOGUL (GB), 129, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Shastye (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Saganeca, by Sagace (Fr)
3rd Dam: Haglette, by Hagley
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (3,400,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Newsells Park Stud (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €88,500. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $112,971. *Full to Japan (GB), G1SW-Eng & Fr, GSW-Ire, $1,601,770; Secret Gesture (GB), GSW & MG1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr & Ger, GISP-US, $746,427; and Sir Isaac Newton (GB), GSW-Ire, SW-Eng & GSP-Aus, $403,231; and 1/2 to Maurus (GB) (Medicean {GB}), SW & MGSP-Aus, $403,286. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sinawann (Ire), 129, c, 2, Kingman (GB)">Kingman (GB)–Simawa (Ire), by Anabaa. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Michael Halford. €30,000.
3–Agitare (Ire), 129, c, 2, Teofilo (Ire)–Sway Me Now, by Speightstown. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €15,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 0.50, 5.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Rebel Tale, Cormorant (Ire), Royal County Down (Ire), Howling Wolf (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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