Invincible Spirit's Pearls Galore Prevails at The Curragh

Haras de Saint Pair's evergreen 5-year-old mare Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}–Pearl Banks {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}), who posted runner-up finishes in last term's G1 Matron S. and G1 Prix de la Foret, went postward as the odds-on selection for Sunday's G2 Lanwades Stud S. at The Curragh, but was made to fight for a narrow success by 25-1 outsider Emphatic Answer (Ire) (No Nay Never). The homebred bay, whose 2021 campaign yielded scores in the G3 Brownstown S. and G3 Fairy Bridge S., also ran sixth in November's GI Breeders' Cup Mile and lined up here coming back off a win in Leopardstown's Listed Heritage S. on seasonal return last month. The eventual was the sharpest of seven into stride and settled behind the leaders in third after the early strides. Inching closer once into the straight, the 8-11 favourite was shaken up inside the final quarter mile to launch her challenge Emphatic Answer entering the final furlong and was driven out to just get the better of that rival by a neck. Sh Boom (GB) (War Command) was best of the remainder and finished two lengths away in third.

“She's tough and improving all the time,” said winning trainer Paddy Twomey. “She enjoys her racing and does what she has to do. She's won her Group 2 now, so we'll have to try and win a Group 1. The fillies' races through the summer–the Falmouth, the Prix de Rothschild and the Matron–and maybe the [Prix de la] Foret and the [GI] Breeders Cup Mile, that sort of programme we are looking at with her. We'll target the European races before going to America.”

Pearls Galore is the fifth of seven foals and one of three stakes winners produced by G3 Dirk Elbers-Preis victrix Pearl Banks (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), herself out of G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). Pearly Shells, in turn, is a half-sister to GI Hollywood Turf Cup-winning sire Frenchpark (GB) (Fools Holme). The May-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to G3 Grosser Preis der Mehl-Mulhens-Stiftung victrix Lucky Lycra (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), Listed Prix des Lilas winner Pearly Steph (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the unraced 2-year-old colt L'Ambassadeur (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
LANWADES STUD S.-G2, €142,800, Curragh, 5-22, 4yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:39.62, gd/yl.
1–PEARLS GALORE (FR), 128, m, 5, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Pearl Banks (GB) (GSW-Ger & SW-Fr, $127,537), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Pearly Shells (GB), by Efisio (GB)
3rd Dam: Piffle (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair du Mont (FR); T-Paddy Twomey; J-Billy Lee. €72,000. Lifetime Record: 14-6-3-1, $426,326. *1/2 to Lucky Lycra (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), GSW-Ger & SW-Fr; and Pearly Steph (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Emphatic Answer (Ire), 128, f, 4, No Nay Never–Ask Me Nicely (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Rectory Road Holdings Ltd, Susan Magnier & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Mrs A M O'Brien (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €24,000.
3–Sh Boom (GB), 128, m, 6, War Command–Nouvelle Lune (GB), by Fantastic Light. (52,000gns RNA Ylg '17 TAOCT; 57,000gns 3yo '19 TATMA). O-David Spratt, Sean Jones & Mrs Lynne Lyons; B-J G Davis & Star Pointe Ltd (GB); T-Ger Lyons. €12,000.
Margins: NK, 2, 3/4. Odds: 0.73, 25.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Thunder Beauty (Ire), Twilight Spinner (GB), Shahaada (Ire), Diadora (Ire). Scratched: My Holy Fox (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.