Ballydoyle Clash In Debutante

Two years ago, Aidan O'Brien used The Curragh's G2 National Breast Cancer Research Debutante S. to begin to establish the pecking order among his best fillies Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and he again pitches two future luminaries against each other in Sunday's renewal. One is 'TDN Rising Star' September (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who followed a 5 1/2-length success on debut at Leopardstown on June 8 with a comprehensive defeat of the impressive subsequent G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Nyaleti (Ire) (Arch) in the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot on June 24. Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was seventh behind September at Leopardstown before taking huge leaps up the ladder when winning a Curragh maiden on June 30 and the G3 Silver Flash S. by five lengths back at Leopardstown on July 27. “September hasn't run since Royal Ascot, but she seems in good form and we've been happy with her,” O'Brien said. “We were delighted with Happily at Leopardstown and we think she has come out of the race well. She might need the run for experience, because they'll go on then after that. The ground should be lovely. Hopefully they won't get too much rain.”

Godolphin is represented by the Jim Bolger-trained Silver Flash third Dawn Delivers (GB) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), who beat the other Ballydoyle runner Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a six-furlong Curragh maiden on July 16, and also the Willie McCreery-trained Mary Tudor (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). The latter made Magical work hard when a head runner-up to that full-sister to last year's Debutante winner Rhododendron (Ire) at Cork on debut on Aug. 8 and McCreery is confident she will put up a bold show despite her inexperience. “She ran a cracking race down in Cork and has come on a lot from the run,” he said. “It's a huge step up for her, but I think she'll do herself justice.”