A MILE CLEAR
Following his remarkable Arc one-two-three on Sunday, Aidan O'Brien was basking in yet another notable achievement at Newmarket on Friday with Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) emerging best from Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as the Ballydoyle duo pulled away from the rest in the G1 Dubai Fillies' Mile. Third last time in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. over seven furlongs at The Curragh Sept. 11, the heavily-supported 5-2 joint-favourite was waited with by Ryan Moore early but as soon as the command was given moved through to seize control without turning a hair. Drawing away along with her passing stablemate from the two-furlong pole, the imposing bay hit the line with 2 1/4 lengths to spare as Urban Fox (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus}) did best of the rest six lengths behind. “She travelled beautifully into the race and took me to the front,” jockey Ryan Moore said. “She won very easily and I just asked her to go through the gears. She did that like a filly with a lot of class and Aidan's always held this filly in the highest regard.”
Friday, Newmarket, Britain
DUBAI FILLIES' MILE-G1, £533,750, NEW, 10-7, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:37.73, g/f.
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-Ryan Moore. £394,219. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Ire, 5-3-1-1, $519,032. *Full to Flying the Flag (Ire), GSW-Ire & GSP-SAf, $195,702. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. 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. £114,756.
3–Urban Fox (GB), 126, f, 2, Foxwedge (Aus)–Lomapamar (GB), by Nashwan. (10,000gns Ylg '15 TAOCT). O-Saeed Manana; B-Mascalls Stud (GB); T-James Tate. £57,432.
Margins: 2 1/4, 6, 3 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 4.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Rich Legacy (Ire), Sobetsu (GB), Spatial (GB), Fleabiscuit (Ire), Easy Victory (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Campaigned solely over seven furlongs prior to this engagement, Rhododendron was second to Rehana (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) on debut at The Curragh June 24 before being sent to Glorious Goodwood to break her maiden July 28. Back in Kildare to capture the G2 Debutante S. Aug. 21, she had Hydrangea back in second and the subsequent G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Brave Anna (War Front) also in arrears before finishing third behind Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Hydrangea when third in the Moyglare. Positioned behind the pace as Ryan Moore rode with confidence throughout the early stages, she was shaken up passing halfway and the response was immediate as she cut down the front-runners to gain the lead with a quarter mile to race. Only Hydrangea could come with her from there, but there was never any doubt to the arrangement of the forecast with Rhododendron only needing to be pushed out with hands and heels to gain the yard's bragging rights.
In a week of all weeks, Aidan O'Brien was typically understated afterwards. “She's a very good filly who has really progressed,” he explained. “We were a bit confused with her Moyglare run and we knew she would want to go up to a mile. They are two high-class fillies by Galileo and it was just a question of what rate they were going to progress by.” Urban Fox was clear best of the remainder and her trainer James Tate said, “She's done brilliantly all year and she's tall, leggy and light and doesn't look a two-year-old type, so she should do better next year.” Disappointment of the race was the other 5-2 joint-favourite Sobetsu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who travelled strongly close to the early pace before fading out of contention inside the last quarter mile and ending up fifth.
Rhododendron's dam Halfway To Heaven captured the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas before adding the G1 Nassau S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. to her tally before producing the G3 International S. winner by Galileo. Cassandra Go, who is a half-sister to the G3 Coventry S.-winning sire Verglas (Ire), was highly effective over five furlongs and won the G2 King's Stand S., G2 Temple S. and G3 King George S. over that trip while she stayed an extra furlong well enough to be runner-up in the G1 July Cup. Also from the family of the 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}), Halfway To Heaven has a yearling full-sister to Rhododendron to come.
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