Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
LODGE PARK STUD EBF PARK EXPRESS S.-G3, €77,500, CUR, 3-20, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:46.88, y/s.
1–#@QUEEN BLOSSOM (IRE), 121, f, 3, by Jeremy
1st Dam: Mark of An Angel (Ire) (GSP-Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
2nd Dam: Dream Time (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Grey Angel (GB), by Kenmare (Fr)
(€15,000 Ylg '14 GOFSPT). O-Sean Greaney; B-Irish National Stud (IRE); T-Patrick Prendergast; J-Fran Berry. €45,725. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $66,208. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Devonshire (Ire), 137, f, 4, Fast Company (Ire)–Nova Tor (Ire), by Trans Island (GB). (€100,000 Ylg '13 GOFSPT). O-Godolphin; B-P. Burns (IRE); T-Willie McCreery. €14,725.
3–Joailliere (Ire), 137, f, 4, Dubawi (Ire)—Majestic Silver (Ire), by Linamix (Fr). O-Moyglare Stud Farm; B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €6,975.
Margins: 1, 3, 3/4. Odds: 16.00, 2.75, 7.00.
Also Ran: Glamorous Approach (Ire), Fluff (Ire), Military Angel, Elusive Approach (Ire), Abbey Angel (Ire), Steip Amach (Ire), Queen Catrine (Ire), Corail (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Striking for the Classic generation, Queen Blossom caused an upset here to justify her trainer's bold decision to take on the older fillies and mares so early in the term. Off the mark over this trip at Cork in September, the bay was fourth on her only other start behind the highly-regarded Godolphin-Bolger project Moonlight Magic (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the nine-furlong Listed Eyrefield S. at Leopardstown the following month. Breaking tardily and racing towards the rear early, she was threaded through the pack from the quarter pole and ground down Devonshire in the final yards for the breakthrough success. “She's very honest. She grew a lot over the winter and we have her in the G1 Irish Oaks,” trainer Patrick Prendergast said. “We said we'd take a chance today, although a mile would be too short, as it would be a hard mile in that ground and she stays very well. She has been working very well this spring. She needs to go further and I'll probably never run her over a mile again. She's very, very light on her feet and once she goes up in trip I don't think the ground will matter so much, but she is by Jeremy so I won't be sorry to see any rain.” The dam, who descends from the top South African mare Grey Angel (GB) (Kenmare {Fr}), has a yearling filly by Motivator (GB).
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