By Tom Frary
This year has offered further proof, if ever any were needed, that Sir Michael Stoute is the game's chief work-in-progress trainer and he has another project in hand after TDN Rising Star Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) showed a glimpse of what could follow in Saturday's G3 188Bet Atalanta S. at Sandown. Pushed into Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation S. with no 3-year-old prep and just a Newmarket maiden win–albeit an impressive one–to her name, Cheveley Park Stud's homebred was able to make the frame in that June 22 feature and was again in third in the G1 Nassau S. trying 10 furlongs at Goodwood Aug. 2. Set an easier task here, the 10-11 favourite was keen early as she had been at the two major British summer festivals tracking Awesometank (GB) (Intense Focus) and when sent past by Ryan Moore with two furlongs remaining asserted for a straightforward 1 1/4-length success. “She's a real nice filly who had run two very good races in group 1s and a stronger pace would have suited her, but she can only win,” her rider commented. “She did that with a bit left in the tank in the end and is a very honest filly who wouldn't do a whole lot when she gets to the front.”
Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, is expecting Veracious to be doing her best work in 2019. “Things didn't pan out quite how Ryan had wished, but she had the class and will be better next year,” he said. “We were hoping to run her in the Guineas, but she had a setback and so we rushed her a little bit but Sir Michael and his team have done a fantastic job. She ran extremely creditably in the Coronation and in the Nassau and if she'll learn to settle we'll probably see a better filly next year. I think she will improve and a mile and a quarter is well within her capabilities, so we'll look at the options and talk to Michael and Mr and Mrs Thompson. We'll obviously have to look at where Alpha Centauri goes.”
There is every reason to expect Veracious to progress at four, with her half-brother Mutakayyef (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) posting his best efforts at five and six when winning the G2 Summer Mile twice and placing in the G1 Queen Anne S., G1 Juddmonte International S. and GI Woodbine Mile. Her half-sister Intimation (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) signed off at five with a win in the G3 Prix de Flore and her sire half-brother Intrinsic (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) captured the Stewards Cup as a 4-year-old. The dam Infallible (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), whose precocity has been inherited by Veracious as she captured the G3 Nell Gwyn S. and was runner-up in the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Falmouth S., is out of the listed-winning and group-placed sprinter Iressistible (GB) (Cadeux Genereux {GB}). Her progeny include Pivotal's black-type performers Remarkable (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Watchable (GB) and she is also the second dam of the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and G2 Lennox S.-winning sire Garswood (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). Infallible's unraced 2-year-old colt by Sea the Stars (Ire) is named Sea Wings (GB), while she also has a yearling colt by Golden Horn (GB) and a 2018 full-brother to Veracious.
Saturday, Sandown, Britain
188BET CASINO ATALANTA S.-G3, £70,000, Sandown, 9-1, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:43.12, gd.
1–VERACIOUS (GB), 122, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Infallible (GB) (GSW & MG1SP-Eng, $314,279), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Irresistible (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: Polish Romance, by Danzig
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute; J-Ryan Moore. £39,697. Lifetime Record: MG1SP-Eng, 5-2-0-3, $223,617. *1/2 to Mutakayyef (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), GSW & MG1SP-Eng, GISP-Can, $940,999; and Intimation (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), GSW-Fr, SW & MGSP-Fr, SP-Eng, $145,189. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Awesometank (GB), 122, f, 3, Intense Focus–Janey Muddles (Ire), by Lawman (Fr). (25,000gns Wlg '15 TATFOA). O-Lee Yuk Lun Alan; B-Eminent Kind Ltd (GB); T-William Haggas. £15,050.
3–Winter Lightning (Ire), 122, f, 3, Shamardal–Eastern Joy (GB), by Dubai Destination. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. £7,532.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.90, 8.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Laugh Aloud (GB), Clon Coulis (Ire), New Day Dawn (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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