Heavily favoured in the international markets, Godolphin's Promising Run (Hard Spun) looked beaten on multiple occasions in the stretch run of Saturday's G2 Balanchine S., but the homebred 5-year-old displayed considerable determination when push came to shove and stuck her lead over the line ahead of the classy Furia Crusada (Chi) (Newfoundland). The Mick Channon-conditioned Opal Tiara (Ire) (Thousand Words {GB}) enjoyed a perfect journey, but found no extra in the final eighth of a mile and settled for third in defence of her title.
Last-out winner of her seasonal comebacker in the G2 Cape Verdi S. Jan. 25, Promising Run was a touch toey in the gates, but jumped on terms and took up a stalking position just off the flank of Saudi Arabia's Tiaemah (KSA) (Premium Tap) as Opal Tiara fell into the box seat from third. The latter was ridden along by Frankie Dettori at the half-mile and led narrowly, but Pat Cosgrave atop Promising Run looked to have her whenever he decided to call upon her. Sent into the lead off the home turn, Promising Run still traveled well, but so, too, did Opal Tiara, who was looking dangerous at the inside. Ultimately turning back that bid at the 200m, Promising Run soon had Furia Crusada breathing down her neck, but she dug in one final time and hit the wire narrowly in front.
“To be honest, things did not really go to plan this evening and in such a small field I would have much preferred a faster early gallop but we did not go very quickly,” Cosgrave said. “It then became a bit messy and, not wanting to disappoint her, I was in front plenty soon and we were there to be aimed at. In fairness to her, she has seen off the challenges well and then had enough to thwart the very last one. A faster run race will suit her and, remember, she has done that under a penalty, so you have to be happy.”
Victorious in the G2 Rockfel S. at two, Promising Run was runner-up in the 2016 UAE 1000 Guineas on dirt and added a Group 3 on turf in Turkey at the tail end of that year. She defeated the boys in the G2 Al Rashidiya S. over the boys during last year's Carnival and was first-up for three months in the Cape Verdi, having previously finished third in the Listed Fleur de Lys S. over the Lingfield all-weather in early November.
Pedigree Notes:
Easily the best produce for her Brazilian Group 1-winning dam, Promising Run is kin to the now 3-year-old Godolphin homebred filly Voladora (Medaglia d'Oro), winner of her lone trip to the post for Andre Fabre over the Chantilly all-weather last November. Aviacion is the dam of a yearling filly from the first crop of 2014 G1 English 2000 Guineas and 2015 G1 Lockinge S. hero Night of Thunder (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
BALANCHINE (SPONSORED BY AZIZI DEVELOPMENTS)-G2, $200,000, MEY, 2-17, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, f/m, 1800mT, 1:49.79, gd.
1–PROMISING RUN, 129, m, 5, by Hard Spun">Hard Spun
1st Dam: Aviacion (Brz) (G1SW-Brz), by Know Heights (Ire)
2nd Dam: Arbulus, by Liloy (Fr)
3rd Dam: Buck the Tide, by Buckpasser
O-Godolphin; B-Darley (KY); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Pat
Cosgrave. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 19-6-2-4, $713,506. *1/2
to Arabian Comet (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), GSP-Eng. Werk Nick
Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred”]2–Furia Cruzada (Chi), 126, m, 6, Newfoundland–Nuestra Machi
(Chi), by Hussonet. (180,000gns RNA HRA '16 TATNOV) O-Avaz
Ismoilov; B-Haras Dadinco (CHI); T-Erwan Charpy. $40,000.
3–Opal Tiara (Ire), 126, m, 5, Thousand Words (GB)–Zarafa
(GB), by Fraam (GB). (£1,800 RNA yrl '14 BRIDEC; 230,000 HRA
'16 TATNOV) O-The Filly Folly & Sweet Partnership; B-Mike
Channon Bloodstock Ltd & Mrs G H Hedley (IRE); T-Mick
Channon. $20,000.
Margins: SHD, 2HF, 5HF.
Also Ran: Icecapada (Ire), Tiaemah (KSA), Singyoursong (Ire), Absolute Blast (Ire). Scratched: Aljuljalah.
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
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