By Tom Frary
Relishing the step up to an extended 10 furlongs on Wednesday, Ballydoyle's Whirl dominated York's G3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes to continue Aidan O'Brien's remarkable run in the Classic Trials. Sixth on her seasonal bow in what could prove her final run at a mile in The Curragh's G3 Park Express Stakes, the daughter of Wootton Bassett from the family of Galileo's Hydrangea, Hermosa and The United States raced prominently from the outset off the strong tempo before being committed with three furlongs to race.
Giving generously for Ryan Moore, last year's G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes winner hit the line with 5 1/2 lengths to spare over the Andrew Balding-trained Serenity Prayer, a daughter of Dubawi, with a neck further back to the Gosdens' Go Go Boots by Night Of Thunder. The winner returned a generous-looking 7-2 shot given that she was becoming the seventh Derby and Oaks trial winner for the stable within the past week.
🤌 Easy
Whirl (Wootton Bassett x Salsa) gives Aidan O'Brien a second win in the Musidora @yorkracecourse pic.twitter.com/SnzqnrTlO8
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 14, 2025
“The step up in trip here suited her,” Moore said. “She did everything perfect today, she did it beautifully, travelled well, took me there going well, found plenty off the bridle and was always in control. She's a very straightforward filly.”
Michael Tabor added, “I don't think anyone expected that particularly, but Aidan seems to be able to do that, as we know. I don't really think that Whirl is an Oaks filly. I think she'd probably get a mile and a half, but something like the Prix de Diane, I think, would be more suitable. I haven't discussed it with Derrick or John or Aidan, so that's just my thinking.”
Andrew Balding's wife and assistant Anna-Lisa said of the runner-up, “She's a lovely big filly. She struggled to go with them early, as they went very quick but this is only her second run. To beat the fillies she has beaten is exciting. She's come a long way in a short time. I'd imagine it will be the [G2] Ribblesdale next, but I just put the saddle on!”
John Gosden said of Go Go Boots, “We're delighted with the filly, she ran a very good race. She had a little trouble getting out of a pocket, but she's run very nicely. She's learned a lot there, that's her first run on grass. We'll see what we want to do over the next few days, but we are probably pointing towards the Ribblesdale, that looks the logical thing to do and we couldn't be happier with the run.”
Pedigree Notes
Whirl, who had run fifth in the Convivial Maiden Stakes at this track's Ebor Festival in August before winning at Doncaster and in the Staffordstown Stud Stakes, is the first foal out of Salsa who as mentioned above is a full-sister to the Group 1 winners Hydrangea, Hermosa and The United States. The former is now the dam of Dubawi's G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes runner-up Wingspan and Listed Tetrarch Stakes scorer Officer, with Hermosa responsible for that sire's G3 Eyrefield Stakes runner-up Trinity College.
Pivotal's G2 Prix du Gros-Chene-winning second dam Beauty Is Truth is out of the G3 Prix du Bois winner Zelding, linking the winner to the likes of Last Tycoon et al. Salsa's next two foals are full-siblings to the winner, with the 2-year-old a colt and the yearling a filly, while she was bred to Justify for 2025.
Wednesday, York, Britain
TATTERSALLS MUSIDORA STAKES-G3, £130,000, York, 5-14, 3yo, f, 10f 56yT, 2:09.61, g/f.
1–WHIRL (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Salsa (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Beauty Is Truth (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Zelding (Ire), by Warning (GB)
O-Mr M Tabor, D Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Coolmore; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £73,723. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 6-3-0-0, $158,530. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Serenity Prayer (Ire), 128, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Peach Tree (Ire), by Galileo (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Westerberg; T-Andrew Balding. £27,950.
3–Go Go Boots (GB), 128, f, 3, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Hertford Dancer (GB), by Foxwedge (Aus).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (97,000gns RNA Ylg '23 TATOCT; €230,000 2yo '24 ARQBRU). O-Bobby Flay; B-Highclere Stud & Michelle Morris (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £13,988.
Margins: 5HF, NK, 5HF. Odds: 3.50, 3.30, 9.00.
Also Ran: Tattycoram (GB), Miss Tonnerre (Ire), Smoken (GB).
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