By Tom Frary
With his main market rival Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy) pulling away any chance, Phoenix Thoroughbred's Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) was left with a relatively straightforward task in The Curragh's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. and he showed the professionalism that has so far marked his brief career to take the Sunday feature to England for the first time since 1997. Made the 11-10 favourite on the basis of his smooth success in Newmarket's G2 July S. and the current unpredictability of the Ballydoyle runners, the bay stuck close to the moderate pace set by The Irish Rover (Ire) (No Nay Never) which had Sergei Prokofiev over-racing in behind. Committed by Frankie Dettori approaching the final furlong, Advertise toughed it out to prevail by a half length from TDN Rising Star So Perfect (Scat Daddy), who ousted her stablemate The Irish Rover by the same margin at the line. “I was surprised that there wasn't enough pace and I knew he stays well, so I kicked pretty early,” Dettori said. “I got a bit of a fright when the others came to me, but he still had plenty left and probably needs to step up to seven now. He's got a great temperament and really wants to do it for you.”
In recent times, some smart Brits had come to this race and been turned back with their reputations dented including the short-priced favourites Buratino (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), Kool Kompany (Ire) (Jeremy), Strong Suit (Rahy), Art Connoisseur (Ire) (Lucky Story) and Three Valleys (Diesis {GB}). Advertise had followed a progressive trajectory to this point, winning on debut at Newbury May 18 and finishing a neck ahead of Sergei Prokofiev and a length behind Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}) when on top of the far-side contingent in Royal Ascot's G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot June 19. Taking the July with the minimum of trouble July 12, he had solid claims in a renewal where only one of the rivals he faced was trained outside of a Ballydoyle stable which has been under a cloud for a spell. Despite the widely-held and correct view that racing in Ireland is intensely competitive at the moment, only Jessie Harrington was prepared to mount an offensive to Advertise along with the usual strength in numbers from Rosegreen. Her representative Indigo Balance (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) ran his second consecutive disappointing race and in the end it was the G3 Grangecon Stud S. scorer So Perfect who put it up to the favourite.
Trainer Martyn Meade had been quoted earlier in the week as saying that Advertise would win and so he was largely relieved afterwards. “Some of my comments this week were taken a little bit out of context, but I was being a bit over the top,” he admitted. “When you've got great confidence in a horse, you tend to go a bit exuberant but luckily he proved the belief in him was right. He's always been held up in his races, but today wasn't run like that and luckily Frankie took the bull by the horns. Firstly, he'll have a break as I don't believe in overdoing horses and the [G1] Dewhurst [at Newmarket Oct. 13] is his aim. The big question is if he'll get a mile, but he'll definitely get seven.” The Irish Rover's rider Donnacha O'Brien said of the third, “He's always worked like a smart horse and has run a solid race, but there's probably not much between those good 2-year-olds.”
Advertise's dam Furbelow (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) was the impressive winner of a six-furlong Kempton maiden and is a full-sister to the stakes winner Red Diadem (GB) and a half to the dam of the G2 Richmond S. scorer Saayerr (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) and the G2 Flying Childers S. runner-up Ornate (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}). The third dam Heart of Joy (Lypheor) took four group and graded-stakes races headed by the GII Palomar H. and was also second in the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas before producing two stakes performers. She is kin to the MSW and GSP Ataentsic (Hold Your Peace), herself the dam of the GII Fernando Breeders' Cup S. winner Unbridled Energy (Unbridled's Song) from the family of the GI United Nations H. hero Acaroid (Big Spruce). Furbelow also has an as-yet unnamed yearling filly by Dream Ahead and a 2018 colt by Lethal Force (Ire).
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
KEENELAND PHOENIX S.-G1, €250,000, Curragh, 8-12, 2yo, 6fT, 1:12.29, gd.
1–ADVERTISE (GB), 129, c, 2, by Showcasing (GB)
1st Dam: Furbelow (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Red Tiara, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Heart of Joy, by Lypheor (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (£60,000 Ylg '17 GOUKPR). O-Phoenix Thoroughbred Ltd 1; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Martyn Meade; J-Lanfranco Dettori. €142,500. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 4-3-1-0, $273,988. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–So Perfect, 126, f, 2, Scat Daddy–Hopeoverexperience, by Songandaprayer. ($400,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. €50,000.[bullet ad=”machmerhall-bredbybornraised”][bullet ad=”selectsales-shell”][bullet ad=”select-sales-keesep-hip-26″][bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]3–The Irish Rover (Ire), 129, c, 2, No Nay Never">No Nay Never–Shelley Beach (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (150,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Lynch-Bages & Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €25,000.
Margins: HF, HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.10, 7.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Indigo Balance (Ire), Sergei Prokofiev. Scratched: Gossamer Wings. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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