By Tom Frary
Despite the withdrawal of Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) due to a temperature, this edition maintained a feeling of strength and it also produced an exciting finale as Laurens edged out September by the slimmest of margins. Successful on debut over seven furlongs at Doncaster July 20, Laurens was runner-up to Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) also at that distance in the G3 Prix du Calvados at Deauville Aug. 19 before coming late to win the G2 May Hill S. on her first attempt at a mile at Doncaster last time Sept. 14. Sent straight into a narrow lead from the outset by P J McDonald, the imposing bay bowled along happily with Nyaleti (Ire) (Arch), her stablemate Ellthea (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and TDN Rising Star Efaadah (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) for company. Committed running down into the “dip”, she saw off TDN Rising Star Magic Lily and found the line in the nick of time as the strong-closing and possibly unlucky fellow TDN Rising Star September lunged late. “As the day has gone on, I've been feeling more and more grateful that we have got a filly that had got us here and this is crazy for owners like us taking on the big boys,” John Dance said. “Hopefully now we've got the champion 2-year-old filly.”
P J McDonald was celebrating a first success at the top level and said, “I honestly can't believe it. I'm 35 years of age now and the relief when that number got called out was amazing. If I never do anything else in my career, I've ridden a group one winner. All the credit goes to [the trainer's daughter] Lucy [Burke]. She rides this filly every day and has done since she came in. It's a massive team effort, everyone has played their part.” Karl Burke added, “She's a very high-class filly and we always knew that. She is a galloper rather than a speed horse at this stage of her career. When we step up to a mile and a quarter or even further next year, she's going to be very good. I would rather her take a lead as she's such a green filly, but we had to let her use her stride. She was a beautiful, classy-looking yearling. She wasn't a cheap horse, but she has this fantastic action–she's like a ballerina and very light on her feet for a big filly. We've never had her off the bridle at home.” Burke is pondering the middle-distance Classics for Laurens in 2018. “I think the ideal race for her next year would be the Prix de Diane, but we'll sit and think. We've got plenty of time,” he added.
Laurens is the last known foal out of a half-sister to the Hong Kong Derby-winning sire Salford Mill (Ire) from the family of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas and G1 Prix Jean Prat runner-up Shifting Power (GB) (Compton Place {GB}) and G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Kinnaird (Ire) (Dr Devious {Ire}). The latter produced the G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Berkshire (Ire) (Mount Nelson {GB}) and is the second dam of Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}), who took the G2 July S. and G2 Richmond S. and was second in the G1 Middle Park S. and third in the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas. This family contains His Highness The Aga Khan bloodlines, with the fourth dam Rilasa (Fr) (St. Paddy {GB}) responsible for a clutch of smart performers in the emerald green.
Friday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 FILLIES' MILE-G1, £567,500, NEW, 10-13, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:36.15, gd.
1–LAURENS (FR), 126, f, 2, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Recambe (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Razana (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
3rd Dam: Raysiya (Ire), by Cure the Blues
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (£220,000 Ylg '16 GOUKPR). O-John Dance; B-Bloodstock Agency Ltd (FR); T-Karl Burke; J-P J McDonald. £321,829. Lifetime Record: GSP-Fr, 4-3-1-0, $501,861. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”sold-by-coulonces-consignment-haras-du-grand-chene”]2–September (Ire), 126, f, 2, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Peeping Fawn, by Danehill. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale & Chelston (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £122,013.
3–Magic Lily (GB), 126, f, 2, New Approach (Ire)–Dancing Rain (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £61,063.
Margins: NO, 3/4, 3. Odds: 10.00, 4.50, 8.00.
Also Ran: Magical (Ire), Ellthea (Ire), Lubinka (Ire), Musical Art (Ire), Efaadah (Ire), Nyaleti (Ire), Muirin (Ire), Quivery. Scratched: Happily (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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