Mecca’s Angel Grinds Down Acapulco

Despite the main focus falling on Acapulco (Scat Daddy) in Friday’s G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York, it was another filly who leapt into the limelight as David Metcalfe’s Mecca’s Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) managed to catch the American raider late on in a nail-biter of a renewal. Always lagging off the pace set by Irad Ortiz on the 13-8 favorite, the grey who was second when odds-on in The Curragh’s G2 Sapphire S. July 18 was gradually being worked up into her top gear by Paul Mulrennan. Seemingly in control and gone beyond recall inside the last quarter mile, Acapulco felt the whip passing the furlong pole and Mecca’s Angel sensed the opportunity and duly seized the lead 75 yards out en route to a commanding two-length success at odds of 15-2. “We’ve been talking about her all year winning a Group 1 and things haven;t gone right, but she proved today she is the real deal,” Mulrennan said. “She was buzzing down at the start, I got a lovely break and I always had the American horse in my sights. I think she’d probably stay six furlongs and win a July Cup on that ground. She is so tough and when the ground comes, she’s special.”

Friday, York, Britain
COOLMORE NUNTHORPE S.-G1, £310,000, YOR, 8-21, 5fT, :57.24, g/s.
1–&MECCA’S ANGEL (IRE), 136, f, 4, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Folga (GB) (SP-Eng, $140,774), by Atraf (GB)
2nd Dam: Desert Dawn (GB), by Belfort (Fr)
3rd Dam: Cast Pearls, by Cutlass
(16,000gns Ylg ‘12 TAOCT). O-David T J Metcalfe; B-Yeomanstown Stud & Doc Bloodstock (IRE); T-Michael Dods; J-Paul Mulrennan. £175,801. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr & GSP-Ire, 14-8-3-0, $533,192. *Full to Markaz (Ire), GSW-Eng, $123,780. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Acapulco, 112, f, 2, Scat Daddy–Global Finance, by End Sweep. ($180,000 Ylg ‘14 FTKJUL; $750,000 2yo ‘15 OBSMAR). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Charles Giles (KY); T-Wesley Ward. £66,650.
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3–Mattmu (GB), 137, c, 3, Indesatchel (Ire)–Katie Boo (Ire), by Namid (GB). O/B-James Bowers (GB); T-Tim Easterby. £33,356.
Margins: 2, 2, HF. Odds: 7.50, 1.60, 12.00.
Also Ran: Sole Power (GB), Goldream (GB), Muthmir (Ire), Wind Fire, Pearl Secret (GB), Move In Time (GB), Profitable (Ire), Cotai Glory (GB), Music Master (GB), Medicean Man (GB), Justineo (GB), Mirza (GB), Justice Day (Ire), Canny Kool (GB), Line of Reason (Ire). Scratched: Take Cover (GB). Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Showing above-average speed at two, Mecca’s Angel took a lowly five-furlong nursery by 12 lengths on Southwell’s fibresand prior to placing second in this meeting’s Listed Roses S. and Ayr’s Listed Harry Rosebery S., but it was not until her sophomore campaign that her natural pace was honed as the potent weapon it has become. After two visually exciting wins in a handicap and conditions race at Thirsk and Hamilton last spring, she proved a flop when only fifth in the Listed Prix Texanita over 5 1/2 furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte last May and was not seen again until the ground eased sufficiently for her at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting in September. Just ten days after a breakthrough win in that track’s Listed Scarborough S., Mecca’s Angel was at Newbury for the G3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy and duly followed up in impressive style before missing the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp due to the going being deemed too fast. Back with another authoritative success in that venue’s G3 Prix de Saint-Georges May 10, she was forced to sidestep the G1 King’s Stand S. as the sun bore down on Berkshire and may have been undercooked when worried out of things by Stepper Point (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) in The Curragh’s G2 Sapphire S. July 18. After the start was delayed by Take Cover (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) breaking through the stalls and running loose, she was forced to lead those racing up the center with Acapulco comfortably commanding affairs on the far side. Nothing was closing to any real effect passing the quarter pole, with the Knavesmire crowd increasingly raucous as the American juvenile seemed to have killed off her elders but Mecca’s Angel kept grinding way in game fashion in no-man’s land. As the margin narrowed a furlong out and Acapulco was coming to the end of her rope, the grey lowered her head and was finishing off too powerfully for any resistance. Owner David Metcalfe was basking in the glory that his bargain purchase had provided afterwards. “He gave her such a fantastic ride and didn’t panic. This vindicated the decision not to run her at Royal Ascot,” he said. “I know people were disappointed then, but she needs to get her toe in. This beats Royal Ascot, as it’s our local track and it’s got to be the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye [at Longchamp Oct. 4] now. I’d like to go back to Ireland first for the G2 Flying Five S. [at The Curragh Sept. 13].” Trainer Michael Dods added, “It was a marvellous performance and it’s great to have a northern winner of the Nunthorpe. It’s been worth waiting for and she’s shown today she’s a superstar. It was a lot of weight to give to Acapulco and it means a lot to everyone involved. For a two-year-old to run a race like that, she is a super filly but it’s nice to get our revenge. Paul said she’d get six, but I’ve no intention of stepping her up when she has shown she can do this over five.” Acapulco’s trainer Wesley Ward was proud of the gallant effort of the runner-up and said, “She’s a lovely filly and has done everything right. I think it was an amazing run and the ground was a little soft today. It was something she’s not quite used to. We got beat, no excuses. It would have been great to win, but I’m very proud of her. I’ll talk with everybody at Coolmore. She’s got a big future in front of her. She’s got a world of speed and there are big days for her in the future.”