By Tom Frary
This was the next race on the card after the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks and York was treated to a show of talent worthy of following Sea of Class (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) as TDN Rising Star Lah Ti Dar came back remarkably strong from a break to earn a tilt at the G1 St Leger at Doncaster Sept. 15. Covering the same trip in a comparable time to the Tsui colour-bearer in the feature, the Lloyd-Webbers' bay has the chance to provide her owner-breeders with a Classic that has so far eluded them largely due to ill fortune. Favourite for the Epsom Oaks on the back of impressive 10-furlong wins in a Newbury maiden Apr. 20 and the Listed Pretty Polly S. at Newmarket May 6, she had been struck down with a virus and had missed the main summer races but was in imperious form on this return. Travelling easily in fourth early, she was sent on by Frankie Dettori three out and stretched clear to record an emphatic success from the improver Light of Joy and G2 Ribblesdale S. third Sun Maiden.
Dettori was in no doubt where she should be heading next. “I suggested the St Leger and I'm sure the Lloyd-Webbers and John will make a plan,” he said. “I'm confident she'll stay the extra two furlongs and soft ground is never going to be a problem. What I've seen of the three-year-old colts, they are vulnerable and I'd like to take them on. She felt very impressive and they've got her back together–she's very exciting. She's got a lovely stride and we've always thought a lot of her, but she missed a lot of time. The track suited her and it was an almighty performance.”
Gosden seemed to be in Frankie's club regarding the Doncaster Classic. “Frankie said she hit the line very strong and that we ought to run her in the Leger–he was quite emphatic about it when he got off and we'll consider that as an appealing race for her,” he said. “She is a fresh filly going into the autumn and will have no problem with the distance there. That was everything we had hoped for and more, as I was apprehensive before the race. When they have not been well like that you worry. Everything was wrong, she was very depressed with a temperature after her last run and you worry how its hit them, but she was very well looked after and has come back a strong smart filly. In a strange way, having the summer off was probably a blessing as those hard races might have come too soon for her. There's every reason to suggest she'll stay in training.”
Lah Ti Dar continues the remarkable story of her dam Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), whose 2-year-old colt Too Darn Hot (GB) also by Dubawi had also earned TDN Rising Star status when breaking his maiden by seven lengths for this yard at Sandown a fortnight earlier. Her best performer so far was this filly's full-sister So Mi Dar (GB) who was also forced to miss the Epsom Oaks after winning the 2016 G3 Musidora S. but who came back to be third in the G1 Prix de l'Opera. Dar Re Mi, who had won the G1 Yorkshire Oaks at this meeting and also the G1 Pretty Polly S. and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, is related to the ill-fated G1 Prince of Wales's S. and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hero Rewilding (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ire}) and the Classic-winning champion and highly influential sire Darshaan (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}). Her yearling colt and filly foal are also by Dubawi.
Thursday, York, Britain
BRITISH EBF & SIR HENRY CECIL GALTRES S.-Listed, £70,000, York, 8-23, 3yo/up, f/m, 11f 188yT, 2:31.22, g/f.
1–LAH TI DAR (GB), 128, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Dar Re Mi (GB) (Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 11-14f, G1SW-Eng, Ire & UAE, GSW & G1SP-Fr, GISP-US, $4,359,112), by Singspiel (Ire). O-Lord Lloyd-Webber; B-Watership Down Stud (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $97,424. *Full to So Mi Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), GSW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $242,742l and 1/2 to De Treville (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MGSP-Fr, $114,187.
2–Light of Joy, 133, f, 4, Kitten's Joy–Light Blow, by Kingmambo. O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd. £15,050.
3–Sun Maiden (GB), 124, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Midsummer (GB), by Kingmambo. O-Khalid Abdullah. £7,532.
Margins: 10, NO, 3/4. Odds: 0.65, 33.00, 5.00.
Also Ran: Alwaysandforever (Ire), What A Home (Ire), Isabella (Ire), Snow Wind (Ire). Scratched: Lubinka (Ire), Shailene (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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