By Tom Frary
The subject of a momentous gamble in Wednesday's Listed Windsor Castle S., Ballydoyle's Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never–Adventure Seeker {Fr}, by Bering {GB}) duly delivered to maintain the 100% record of the TDN Rising Stars in Royal Ascot's two-year-old contests. Hammered into 6-5 favouritism to get Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore off the mark for the week, the impressive Naas maiden winner raced near the pace far side before being sent forward with hands and heels passing halfway. In the end, the imposing bay had to fight to fend off the stand's-side winner Rocket Rodney (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}) but was equal to the task to score by a neck, with Eddie's Boy (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) 1 3/4 lengths back in third. “It was a good performance from a horse who is still learning,” Moore said. “He was out on the wing and the horses in the middle were ahead–he got a bit lonely, but he has plenty of ability. He is a big horse and I thought he did that comfortably. I know he didn't win by far, but there was more in the locker.”
Runner-up by a short head to the subsequent G3 Marble Hill S. runner-up Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and ahead of future winner Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) on debut at The Curragh Apr. 10, Little Big Bear dealt with the drop to this trip without fuss when dominating his maiden from the well-regarded Joseph O'Brien-trained Alexis Zorba (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) at Naas May 7. The extent of the money flow in his direction leading up to the off spoke volumes about the expectation surrounding him and he was carrying that weight looking to provide Aidan O'Brien with the Royal Ascot winner the form of his juveniles seemed to suggest was a formality this Spring.
Rosegreen's two-year-olds are never hard-baked for this meeting and there were a few moments when Little Big Bear needed encouragement from Moore before halfway as several appeared to be travelling sweeter across the track. It was only as he approached the furlong marker that the sizeable colt began to emerge as one of the chief protagonists and by the time he had got to half a furlong out he had the measure of Rocket Rodney who was a few horse-widths out of range. “He was drawn a little away from the pace, but we were delighted with him,” O'Brien said. “He should get further in the future and is in the Phoenix Stakes. He is a big horse. It is obviously a very fast race and horses need to know a lot in it and be very educated. He had only had the two runs, so we were a bit worried about that, but we're delighted really.”
Little Big Bear is bred to stay much further on the dam's side, with the Listed Prix de Liancourt winner, G3 Prix Cleopatre runner-up and GI E P Taylor S. fourth Adventure Seeker being a granddaughter of the legendary All Along (Fr), the French champion and US Horse of the Year in 1983 courtesy of her G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, GI Turf Classic, G1 Rothmans International and GI Washington D. C. International victories. A half to the precocious but ill-fated G3 Princess Margaret S. third Along Again (Ire) (Elusive City), she produced Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway) who was second in the 12-furlong G3 Hobart Cup. Also connected to the G3 Prix du Muguet winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-placed Art Francais (Lyphard's Wish {Fr}), the dam's yearling is a full-brother to Little Big Bear.
Wednesday, Ascot, Britain
WINDSOR CASTLE S.-Listed, £100,000, Ascot, 6-15, 2yo, 5fT, 1:00.33, g/f.
1–LITTLE BIG BEAR (IRE), 131, c, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Adventure Seeker (Fr) (SW & GSP-Fr, $155,312), by Bering (GB)
2nd Dam: American Adventure, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: All Along (Fr), by Targowice
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€320,000 Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Camas Park Stud & Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £59,200. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $84,657. *1/2 to Andrea Mantegna (Giant's Causeway), GSP-Aus, $352,585. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rocket Rodney (GB), 131, g, 2, Dandy Man (Ire)–Alushta (GB), by Royal Applause (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (18,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 18,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Victorious Racing Ltd; B-R W Stapleton (GB); T-George Scott. £22,390.
3–Eddie's Boy (GB), 131, c, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Spontaneity (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (45,000gns Ylg '21 TATSOM). O-Middleham Park Racing XLV & Partner; B-Crossfields Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Archie Watson. £11,190.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.20, 14.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Chateau (Ire), Jumbeau (GB), Bolt Action (Ire), Silencer (Ire), Wodao (Fr), Union Court (GB), Kuwait City (Ire), Ramazan (Ire), Kaasib (Ire), Rocking Ends (GB), Yahtzee (Ire), Mehmar (Ire), Knebworth (GB), Edgar Linton (Fr), Far Shot (Ire), Democracy Dilemma (Ire), Finn Russell (Ire), Guiteau (Ire), Star of Lady M (GB), Seismic Spirit (Ire), Whistle and Flute (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
🐻 Little Big Bear gets Aidan O'Brien on the board at Royal Ascot in the Windsor Castle. A son of No Nay Never @coolmorestud who was a Royal Ascot winner himself. pic.twitter.com/AmgzeC6Zzw
— TDN (@theTDN) June 15, 2022
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
