Seamie Heffernan enjoyed one of his three G1 Irish 1000 Guineas successes on Halfway To Heaven in 2008 and it was no hardship for him to get the leg up on the unproven Rhododendron on the advice of Aidan O'Brien. The Ballydoyle trainer should know what it takes to win this, having done so on a record 10 occasions before this one with his last four Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) all going on to win at group 1 level. Second to Rehana (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) over this course and distance on debut June 24, the bay broke her maiden also over this trip at Glorious Goodwood July 28 and was favoured over her G3 Albany S.-winning stablemate Brave Anna (War Front) in a race that typically offers an early pointer to net year's Classics. Settled towards the rear early, she was launched widest of all to usurp the yard's other runner Hydrangea at the furlong pole and stayed on to prevail from that tough opponent.
“Seamus and Ryan rode her and loved her on her first two starts and she's a lovely, laid-back filly who stays well,” O'Brien said. “[Jockey] Michael [Hussey]'s filly [Brave Anna] got a little bit tired, but she had a good break after Ascot. They will all go to the [G1] Moyglare [Stud S. at The Curragh Sept. 11] and the runner-up is a filly we always thought would get much further than seven and she was getting going again at the line.”
Halfway To Heaven stayed 10 furlongs to win the G1 Nassau S. and her son of Galileo Flying the Flag captured the G3 International S. at that trip, so the prospect of Rhododendron staying middle distances look bright. Her speed comes from Trevor Stewart's high-class sprinter Cassandra Go, a half-sister to the G3 Coventry S.-winning sire Verglas (Ire) who captured the G2 King's Stand S., G2 Temple S. and G3 King George S. over five furlongs and was second in the G1 July Cup. Other fast members of the clan include the Ballydoyle-trained G3 Summer S. winner Theann (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), the G3 Abernant S. and G3 Sandown Sprint S. winner Tickled Pink (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the German highweight Best Regards (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). The fifth of Halfway To Heaven's five foals is a yearling filly who like all the rest is a Galileo.
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH DEBUTANTE S.-G2, €115,000, CUR, 8-21, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:27.07, y/s.
1–#@RHODODENDRON (IRE), 126, f, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Halfway to Heaven (Ire) (MG1SW-Eng, G1SW-Ire & G1SP-Fr, $941,139), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rahaam, by Secreto
O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan. €67,850. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $101,802. *Full to Flying the Flag (Ire), GSW-Ire & GSP-SAf, $195,702. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hydrangea (Ire), 126, f, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Beauty Is Truth (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Beauty Is Truth Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €23,000.
3–Intricately (Ire), 126, f, 2, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Inner Realm (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €11,500.
Margins: HD, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 1.35, 10.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Rehana (Ire), Drumfad Bay (Ire), Brave Anna, Brooklyn's Rose (Ire), Elusive Beauty (Ire), Oh Grace (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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