Azamour’s Game Covert Love Registers Opera Score

Looking an out-and-out stayer when successful over 12 furlongs in the July 18 G1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh and second in the Aug. 20 G1 Yorkshire Oaks, Covert Love demonstrated her versatility with a courageous front-running performance in this Breeders’ Cup ‘Win And You’re In’ under a finely judged ride from Pat Smullen. First showing her class when making virtually all to win the Listed Hoppings S. over this trip at Newcastle June 26, the long-striding bay stuck close to a furious pace in the Curragh Classic, and that paid dividends before being caught late on by Pleascach (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) at York. Recovering from an awkward start after rearing out of the stalls, she was content left alone on the lead with her rider keeping something up his sleeve and although visually she appeared to be half-speeding by the top of the straight, she had all in trouble bar the smooth-traveling Jazzi Top (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Tackled by that compatriot with a quarter mile remaining, Covert Love looked set to surrender and was headed at the furlong pole but battled to regain the advantage 100 meters out and prevail. Last year’s winner We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) flew late down the outer to be third without ever threatening to get involved. “She’s very good and so tough–she wouldn’t know what getting beaten meant,” trainer Hugo Palmer said. “I said to Pat beforehand that there wasn’t a better clock in the world than the one in your head, and you do your thing and go and win. I said after the Irish Oaks that I’d love to win a Group 1 over 10 furlongs with her and the world is her oyster now. I am very happy that she will stay in training next year, but she could possibly run again in the [Oct. 17] G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot or the Breeders’ Cup.” Jazzi Top’s trainer John Gosden said of the runner-up, “She ran a lovely race and I am delighted, but she ran out of stamina a little bit at the end.”

Sunday, Longchamp, France
PRIX DE L’OPERA LONGINES-G1, €400,000, LCP, 10-4, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:04.43, gd.
1–COVERT LOVE (IRE), 123, f, 3, by Azamour (Ire)
1st Dam: Wing Stealth (Ire), by Hawk Wing
2nd Dam: Starlight Smile, by Green Dancer
3rd Dam: Bubinka, by Nashua
(€26,000 Ylg ‘13 GOFORB). O-FOMO Syndicate;
B-Sommerville Bloodstock (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer; J-Pat
Smullen. €228,560. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, SW
& G1SP-Eng, 7-5-1-0, €605,195. Werk Nick Rating:
A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Jazzi Top (GB), 123, f, 3, Danehill Dancer (Ire)–Zee
Zee Top (GB), by Zafonic. O-Helena Springfield Ltd;
B-Meon Valley Stud (GB); T-John Gosden. €91,440.
3–We Are (Ire), 128, f, 4, Dansili (GB)–In Clover (GB),
by Inchinor (GB). O/B-George Strawbridge (Ire);
T-Freddy Head. €45,720.
Margins: HD, 2HF, HD. Odds: 3.60, 5.40, 5.10.
Also Ran: Wekeela (Fr), Cladocera (Ger), Fate (Fr), Little Nightingale (Fr), Star of Seville (GB), Queen’s Jewel (GB), Feodora (Ger), Bourree (Ger), Diamondsandrubies (Ire), Odeliz (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result, the PMU PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.