Continuing The Thread

CONTINUING THE THREAD 
Having robbed Taghrooda (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) of her unbeaten record in the 12-furlong G1 Yorkshire Oaks last time Aug. 21, J “TDN Rising Star” J Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is back dramatically in trip for today’s G1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron S. staged over a mile at Leopardstown. While that represented a career-high following her previous second in the July 19 G1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh, today’s test demands more speed and less stealth from Susan Magnier’s colorbearer. Previously, she had been sixth over this trip in a slowly run edition of the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 20 and did not look short of pace when winning the G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh as a juvenile. “Tapestry won very well at York, but she’s coming back considerably in trip to a mile,” trainer Aidan O’Brien commented. “It’s not ideal, but we’re hoping she’ll run a big race.” 
Successful in the Coronation was Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum’s Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who had already plundered the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at The Curragh and the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot at two and was the chief beneficiary of her rivals’ reluctance to make that race a proper test. Subsequently second in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 11 and fourth in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville Aug. 17, she is partnered by Ryan Moore, who was so effective in the Coronation. “She’s in great form. Ryan Moore has been doing all the work on her, as usual,” the owner’s Racing Manager Bruce Raymond told PA Sport. “She ran a great race last time, she is maybe a bit fresher now and we know she’s a very good miler. It’s a race I think she should win and I would certainly be disappointed if she’s not in the first three.” 
One who does not need to improve a great deal to figure is Flaxman Stables’ Fiesolana (Ire) (Aussie Rules), and she may not have been at her best when fifth in this last year. This term, she has been second when failing by a half-length to give the re-opposing Purr Along (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) five pounds in The Curragh’s G3 Lanwades Stud S. over this trip on testing ground May 24 before finishing fourth in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot June 18 and third in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest dropped to 6 1/2 furlongs at Deauville Aug. 10.