Making it a 19th renewal of The Curragh's G2 Beresford S. for Aidan O'Brien and a ninth in succession on Sunday, Innisfree (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) battled by Shekhem (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) with a neck to spare as had been the case in a seven-furlong Galway maiden July 29. Gifting that free-running His Highness The Aga Khan homebred three lengths headstart, the 4-6 favourite was alongside a furlong from home and after a prolonged tussle got the better of him in the final strides. “It went smooth. Chris [Hayes] went a nice, even gallop and my lad travelled lovely,” jockey Donnacha O'Brien said. “He's got plenty of pace, brought me into the race really nicely and stuck his head out in the last furlong. Shekhem is no slouch and I knew he'd take a bit of beating, but my lad has improved from his maiden as well. I think there is still a bit of improvement in him and nicer ground will see him step up again.”
Ballydoyle withdrew Cormorant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Royal County Down (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in the morning, leaving Innisfree with sole responsibility for maintaining a remarkable sequence by any standards in this time-honoured early Derby pointer. Having progressed in increments from a debut second to Year of the Tiger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a seven-furlong Naas maiden July 6 to his Galway success and this, he will inevitably take part in the yard's Spring preps for Epsom's blue riband in 2020. Donnacha is convinced he is not a dyed-in-the-wool Derby type, however. “He's not slow and the kind of horse you would say 'I can't wait to see him over a mile and a half'–he's got a bit of boot, so we'll see where he fits in,” he added.
The regard in which his dam Palace (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was held by this stable is evidenced by the fact that she started at only 6-1 for the 2014 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, but was fifth in that encounter and seventh and 10th respectively on her tries over a mile and a half in the G1 Epsom and Irish Oaks. In all likelihood, that trip was too far and she was eventually brought back to between a mile to nine furlongs. Despite being by Galileo, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that could also be the case with Innisfree, but there is probably enough stamina there for the Derby trip as Palace was second in the 10-furlong Listed Naas Oaks Trial having won the Listed Cairn Rouge S. over an extended mile.
Palace is a half-sister to the stable's Furner's Green (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), who took the G3 Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial and was a close third in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the listed-winning G1 Irish Oaks third Lady Lupus (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), the listed-winning and group-placed Mystical Lady (Ire) (Halling) and the Lincoln H. winner Bravery (Ire) by Innisfree's sire Galileo. Mystical Lady is the dam of three black-type performers for Ballydoyle including the Listed Dee S. winner and G1 Irish Derby and G1 Ascot Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher (Ire) also by Galileo. The third dam is the high-class Sonic Lady (Nureyev), heroine of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Sussex S. and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. The dam also has a yearling full-brother to Innisfree.
Sunday, The Curragh, Ireland
BERESFORD S.-G2, €110,000, Curragh, 9-29, 2yo, 8fT, 1:50.06, hy.
1–INNISFREE (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Palace (Ire) (SW & GSP-Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Lady Icarus (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Sonic Lady, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Donnacha O'Brien. €66,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $87,252. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shekhem (Ire), 129, c, 2, Zoffany (Ire)–Shelina (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire). O-H.H. Aga Khan; B-H. H. The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €22,000.
3–Gold Maze (GB), 129, c, 2, Golden Horn (GB)–Astonishing (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (550,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-The Long Wait Partnership; B-Apple Tree Stud (GB); T-Jessica Harrington. €11,000.
Margins: NK, 3 3/4, 6HF. Odds: 0.65, 2.75, 9.00.
Also Ran: Camorra (Ire), Silvertown (Ire). Scratched: Cormorant (Ire), Royal County Down (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
BERESFORD S.-G2, €110,000, Curragh, 9-29, 2yo, 8fT, 1:50.06, hy.
1–INNISFREE (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Palace (Ire) (SW & GSP-Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Lady Icarus (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Sonic Lady, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Donnacha O'Brien. €66,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $87,252. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shekhem (Ire), 129, c, 2, Zoffany (Ire)–Shelina (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire). O-H.H. Aga Khan; B-H. H. The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €22,000.
3–Gold Maze (GB), 129, c, 2, Golden Horn (GB)–Astonishing (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (550,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-The Long Wait Partnership; B-Apple Tree Stud (GB); T-Jessica Harrington. €11,000.
Margins: NK, 3 3/4, 6HF. Odds: 0.65, 2.75, 9.00.
Also Ran: Camorra (Ire), Silvertown (Ire). Scratched: Cormorant (Ire), Royal County Down (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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