7th-NAV, €11,500, Mdn, 4-17, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:49.64, sf.
THE GURKHA (IRE) (c, 3, Galileo {Ire}–Chintz {Ire} {GSW-Ire, $149,166}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who hit the board at Leopardstown in his only prior start Apr. 6, raced on the front end from flagfall in this one. Gaining an outright lead on the home turn, the 11-8 second choice was last off the bridle in the straight and extended clear under mild urging inside the final quarter mile to easily account for Saafarr (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) by nine lengths. “He had a good draw and it worked out lovely,” commented Aidan O'Brien. “We thought he might be a French Guineas horse, he came forward lovely and you'd be delighted with him today. He's only a baby, but probably learned a lot the first day, even though he got beaten. I asked Ryan if he'd get further [than a mile] and he said a mile-and-a-quarter, but he wasn't sure after that. He's a horse with a lot of pace so I wouldn't be sure about a mile-and-a-half. It's Ryan's first time here [at Navan] and he was very complimentary about the track.” The Gurkha is out of the G3 C L Weld Park S. victress Chintz (Ire) and is thus a full-brother to G3 Brownstown S. third Queen Nefertiti (Ire). He is also kin to a yearling filly by Galileo (Ire). Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $9,320.
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Chintz Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien.
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