By Sean Cronin
Mick and Janice Mariscotti's Dashing Willoughby (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) was no match for subsequent G1 Epsom Derby fifth Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) when third in last month's G3 Chester Vase, but stepped forward in game fashion to claim Wednesday's G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot.
Under heavy restraint in third behind a modest pace set by Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for most of the 14-furlong slog, the 6-1 chance loomed large off the home turn to launch his challenge at the quarter-mile marker and stayed on strongly under a drive to deny Barbados (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by a half-length, despite veering right nearing the line. Nayef Road kept on gamely to finish a half-length further back in third.
The bay, who backed up a debut score over an extended mile at Wolverhampton last August to run second in Newbury's renowned Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions S. the following month, closed his juvenile campaign with an eighth behind Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in Doncaster's Oct. 27 G1 Futurity Trophy before running second once more in another conditions heat back at Newbury in his penultimate outing on seasonal return Apr. 12.
“He loves the ground, he stays well and he's pretty classy,” said winning trainer Andrew Balding after claiming a fourth Royal winner and a first in five years. “He had a little hiccup on Saturday morning and was very lame. He had a blood blister in his foot and our farrier Eugene Cullen and head lad Kevin Hunt worked through the night and, happily, he was right 24 hours later. It's great for Mick and Janice [Mariscoti] who have been very good, loyal supporters of ours and we're delighted. He's got a bit of talent, we were really hopeful coming into the race and the rain certainly was in his favour. The [Sept. 14 G1] St Leger [at Doncaster] is the logical objective and it'll be a lot tougher than this, but I think he deserves to be heading in that direction now.”
Owner Mick Mariscoti added, “This is indescribable and the joy of days like today makes up for 100 days when it is not quite as good. This our first Group winner and our first Royal Ascot winner. I cannot really describe how I feel, it's fantastic.”
Aidan O'Brien was understandably pleased with the effort of Barbados and said, “He's by Galileo and has always looked like he would stay, so we have to be delighted with his effort. It was a great run by a 3-year-old in that ground so early in the season.”
Rider Wayne Lordan concurred and added, “He has run a big race, he tries and kept going and there is a big day in him.”
Andrea Atzeni, who set the tone aboard Nayef Road, reflected, “He was a little bit slow early on and I had to use him to get my position, but he ran a great race. I wasn't sure about the trip, but he obviously stays very well.”
Mark Johnston praised Atzeni's tactical nous, saying, “He was drawn quite wide and quite slowly into his stride so I thought it was a great move [by Andrea] to push round and take the lead. That initiative nearly paid off and he galloped all the way to the line. You couldn't say he didn't stay every yard of the trip, we're glad we went a half-mile extra and he won't be dropping back to a mile-and-a-quarter again.”
Pedigree Notes:
Dashing Willoughby is the second foal and lone scorer out of a multiple-winning half-sister to G1 Prix Jean Romanet and G1 Prix de l'Opera victress Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal) and the bay is a half-brother to a yearling filly by Lope de Vega (Ire) and a colt foal by Mukhadram (GB). His Listed Warwickshire Oaks-winning second dam Dash to the Front (GB) (Diktat {GB}) is herself a half-sister to stakes-winning G1 Fillies' Mile and G1 Yorkshire Oaks placegetter Dash to the Top (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), who in turn produced three black-type performers headed by last month's G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Wednesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
QUEEN'S VASE-G2, £225,000, Ascot, 6-19, 3yo, 14f 34yT, 3:07.86, sf.
1–DASHING WILLOUGHBY (GB), 126, c, 3, by Nathaniel (Ire)
1st Dam: Miss Dashwood (GB), by Dylan Thomas (Ire)
2nd Dam: Dash to the Front (GB), by Diktat (GB)
3rd Dam: Millennium Dash (GB), by Nashwan
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (70,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mick & Janice Mariscotti; B-Meon Valley Stud (GB); T-Andrew Balding; J-Oisin Murphy. £127,598. Lifetime Record: 6-2-2-1, $190,849. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Barbados (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Sumora (Ire), by Danehill. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £48,375.
3–Nayef Road (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Rose Bonheur (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (100,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mohamed Obaida; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £24,210.
Margins: HF, HF, 2HF. Odds: 6.00, 20.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Moonlight Spirit (Ire), Eminent Authority (Ire), Harpo Marx (Ire), Almost Midnight (GB), Themaxwecan (Ire), Norway (Ire), Nate the Great (GB), Pythion (Fr), Western Australia (Ire), Jalmoud (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
