By Tom Frary
A touch languid during most of his 2-year-old campaign, Ballydoyle's Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) woke up with a spring in his step at Leopardstown on Saturday and duly demolished an intriguing cast assembled for the G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. Now alongside the likes of Galileo (Ire), High Chaparral (Ire), Yeats (Ire) and Fame and Glory (GB) on the honour roll of this early Derby trial, he would not be out of place among at least two of them judging by this emphatic eight-length success. In last early with Ryan Moore keen to avoid the forcing tactics employed when second in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Arc day, the 5-2 second favourite warmed into the fast-run contest and had dead aim on stablemate Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as he took on the lead-out role at the top of the straight. Sweeping aside that strong-galloping chestnut who sported Susan Magnier's pink with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, Broome was soon pounding clear in Tabor's blue-and-orange to enter the Derby picture front and centre. Sovereign was four lengths ahead of Pythion (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) in third, with the field spread out in the testing ground and the 7-4 favourite Tankerville (Kitten's Joy) finding disappointingly little in fifth after travelling notably strongly turning for home. As with most of the rest of the card, the time was very slow, over 10 seconds off the standard for the distance, revealing just what an impact the ground was having on the runners.
Broome had a certain way of going for his first two black-type attempts at two, starting sluggishly before finding his feet only when the main action was already unfolding up ahead. Sixth in York's G3 Acomb S. in August and second to Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in the G2 Golden Fleece S., or G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S., on Irish Champions Day here in September, he was sent to the front in the Lagardere in a bid to rouse him earlier but he was duly picked off by Royal Marine (Ire) (Raven's Pass). Perhaps it was the extra strengthening over the winter or a matter of maturity that made the difference here, but this was also the softest ground he has encountered so far and it certainly played into his hands. His trainer believes he needs the surface livelier, however. “He'll love better ground. We weren't sure about the soft ground–Donnacha, who rides him all the time at home, thought that he would be okay on it, but he's a very good mover.”
O'Brien added, “We always thought he was a horse that when he went further, he'd appreciate it. He got the mile and a quarter really well there and he'll come back here for the [G3] Derrinstown [Stud Derby Trial]. He's lovely and sleepy and lazy. We made the decision that we'd take our time with him this year. Last year we maybe forced him a little bit because he stayed so well and it wasn't really fair to him. He loves relaxing there and the great thing is that he really gallops home. They went along and still the horse that made it was second. It was just a properly-run race.”
Broome's speedy dam Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) was effective on rain-deadened ground as she proved when winning the Listed National S. and finishing third in the G3 Princess Margaret S. on good-to-soft. She hails from the Hesmonds Stud family of the smart Dust Dancer (GB) (Suave Dancer) and Bulaxie (GB) (Bustino {GB}), with the former being responsible for the GII Lake Placid H. scorer Spotlight (GB) (Dr Fong) and the dam of the stable's group 1 performers Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and their G3 Anglesey S.-winning half-brother Wilshire Boulevard (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Rostropovich stayed a mile and a half well, finishing a close second in last year's G1 Irish Derby, while another Ballydoyle-trained member of this dynasty Ernest Hemingway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a dual winner of the G3 Curragh Cup, so Broome looks certain to emulate that pair and stay at least the Derby trip. Sweepstake's 2-year-old filly by Invincible Spirit (Ire) was purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock at last year's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, while she also has a yearling filly by Frankel (GB).
Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland
P.W. MCGRATH MEMORIAL BALLYSAX S.-G3, €60,000, Leopardstown, 4-6, 3yo, 10fT, 2:12.61, sf.
1–BROOME (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Australia (GB)
1st Dam: Sweepstake (Ire) (SW & GSP-Eng & US, $114,162), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Dust Flicker (GB), by Suave Dancer
3rd Dam: Galaxie Dust, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (€120,000 RNA Ylg '17 GOFOR; 150,000gns Ylg '17 TATDEY). O-Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €35,400. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 6-2-2-0, $193,050. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sovereign (Ire), 129, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Devoted To You (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €11,400.
3–Pythion (Fr), 129, c, 3, Olympic Glory (Ire)–Paragua (Ger), by Nayef. (85,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-David Spratt & Sean Jones; B-Stiftung Gestut Fahrof (FR); T-Ger Lyons. €5,400.
Margins: 8, 4, 5. Odds: 2.50, 7.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Sydney Opera House (GB), Tankerville, Guaranteed (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
