Very few newcomers are able to beat experienced rivals in a pattern-race, but Ballydoyle's Etoile (War Front) fit into that niche on Sunday when taking the G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. Sent off at 12-1, the bay was slotted in behind the early leaders by Seamie Heffernan and travelled notably smoothly off the moderate pace. Brought to bear inside the final furlong, the relative of Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) swooped to the front 100 yards from the finish and stayed on to beat Peace Charter (GB) (War Front) by a half length. “She works with the other filly [the fifth-placed 5-6 favourite So Wonderful (War Front)] and it's a lovely place to start, so we couldn't be happier,” Aidan O'Brien commented. “I'd imagine there will be plenty of improvement and she might go to the [June 21 G3] Albany [at Royal Ascot] off one run. Usually, you'd like them to have two runs before that if you can but she'll have to go straight there. Seamus was just saying that he rode her mother in the Irish Oaks to finish third behind two of ours.”
Pedigree Notes
The dam in question was the Andre Fabre-trained Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), who was also runner-up in the 2008 G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix Saint-Alary and successful in the G3 Prix Penelope and G3 Prix des Reservoirs. Responsible for one black-type performer in the listed-placed Galateia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), she is a half-sister to the aforementioned 2011 G1 Epsom Derby hero Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and this stable's Listed Salsabil S. winner Kissed (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who went on to produce the listed-placed Leo Minor also by War Front. This is the excellent family of the champion Awaasif (Snow Knight) and her promoted G1 Epsom Oaks winner Snow Bride (Blushing Groom {Fr}) and the brilliant Bosra Sham (Woodman).
Sunday, Naas, Ireland
COOLMORE STUD IRISH EBF FILLIES SPRINT S.-G3, €80,000, Naas, 5-19, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:12.00, g/f.
1–ETOILE, 126, f, 2, by War Front
1st Dam: Gagnoa (Ire) (MGSW & MG1SP-Fr, G1SP-Ire,
$597,492), by Sadler's Wells
2nd Dam: Gwynn (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Victoress, by Conquistador Cielo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs John Magnier
& Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale/Chelston/
Wynatt (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan. €47,200.
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $52,670. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Peace Charter (GB), 126, f, 2, War Front–Emollient, by
Empire Maker. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc
(GB); T-Ger Lyons. €15,200.
3–Celtic Beauty (Ire), 126, f, 2, No Nay Never–Keystone Gulch,
by Gulch. (€52,000 Ylg '18 TIRSEP). O-David K Kelly; B-Lynch
Bages (IRE); T-Ken Condon. €7,200.
Margins: HF, HF, 1HF. Odds: 12.00, 2.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: American Lady (Ire), So Wonderful, In the Present, Yesterdayoncemore (Ire), Feminista (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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