Successful over seven furlongs on debut at Newmarket Aug. 12 and fourth just 15 days later in the G3 Prestige S. over that trip at Goodwood, Rich Legacy took another step forward during a busy spell to land this prestigious affair and form the first part of an afternoon group-race double for trainer Ralph Beckett. Settled in the slipstream of her Prestige conqueror Kilmah (GB) (Sepoy {Aus}) early, the bay was sent to the front and into the headwind by Oisin Murphy approaching the final quarter mile. Tackled and headed by Grecian Light at the furlong pole, she responded gamely to regain the advantage 100 yards later and stayed on strongly as that rival wilted. “She's a lovely straightforward filly who has crept up on us,” Beckett explained. “I was surprised when she won first time, as I hadn't really seen it at home, but they are the best ones. She looked like she was going nowhere halfway. She raced very lazily, but she really put it to bed well. She's in the [G1 Prix] Marcel Boussac [at Chantilly Oct. 2] and that may be the race for her, as she's not in the [G1] Fillies' Mile [at Newmarket Oct. 7].” Her jockey added, “She was a bit hot-headed and could have boiled over, but he gave her a bit of time in between races and she has had very good handling at home. That has been the key to her. She loved every yard of the trip and you'd say she'd get further in time. Whether she would be an Oaks filly, I'm not sure as she's by Holy Roman Emperor.”
The May Hill is often a pointer to the Oaks and Rich Legacy's pedigree offers more than a glimmer of hope that she will stay well. Her second dam Britannia, was the winner of the G2 Deutsches St Leger and was runner-up in the G2 Preis der Diana and fourth in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak, or French St Leger. Her progeny include the G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Coronation Cup-winning sire Boreal (Ger) and Borgia (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), heroine of the G1 Deutsches Derby against the colts, G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and G1 Hong Kong Vase and runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Her daughter Bermuda Reef (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) took the G3 Hamburg Trophy, while another of her offspring Born Wild (Ger) (Sadler's Wells) threw the G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Baltic Baroness (Ger) (Shamardal). Also from the family of last year's G3 Killavullan S. winner and this year's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas third Blue de Vega (Ger) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Borghesa has a yearling daughter of Intense Focus to come.
Thursday, Doncaster, Britain
CLUGSTON CONSTRUCTION MAY HILL S.-G2, £70,000, DON, 9-8, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:41.24, gd.
1–#@RICH LEGACY (IRE), 126, f, 2, by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)">Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
1st Dam: Borghesa (Ger), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Britannia (Ger), by Tarim
3rd Dam: Bonna (Ger), by Salvo
(€28,000 Wlg '14 GOFNOV; €30,000 RNA Ylg '15 GOFORB; €75,000 2yo '16 ARQMAY). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Gestut Ammerland (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Oisin Murphy. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $60,892. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Grecian Light (Ire), 126, f, 2, Shamardal–Akrivi (Ire), by Tobougg (Ire). (260,000gns Ylg '15 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Stilvi Compania Financiera SA (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £15,050.
3–Urban Fox (GB), 126, f, 2, Foxwedge (Aus)–Lomapamar (GB), by Nashwan. (10,000gns Ylg '15 TAOCT). O-Saeed Manana; B-Mascalls Stud (GB); T-James Tate. £7,532.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 3.00, 8.00, 11.00.
Also Ran: Reachforthestars (Ire), Tiburtina (Ire), Blending (GB), Hidden Steps (GB), Bongrace (Ire), Kilmah (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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