Coming to the fore when winning the Listed Alleged S. over 10 furlongs at The Curragh Apr. 3, Zhukova dealt a blow to the Classic generation here with an emphatic success to suggest a bright future. Allowed abundant time to mature and fill her sizeable frame, the daughter of his late mother Maguerite's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) still managed to show flashes of genuine talent at three. They came during her maiden success over 10 furlongs at Navan in mid-June and when scoring in the Listed Oyster S. at Galway over 12 furlongs in September, but it was only on her 4-year-old return that she really showed what she was capable of when outclassing last year's G3 Ballysax S. and G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial winner Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy) and taking full advantage of a rusty Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on heavy ground in the Alleged. Racing in third early as Ballydoyle's 3-year-old Pretty Perfect cut out the running as she had when impressively winning the Listed Salsabil S. last time, the imposing bay was niggled at by Pat Smullen in the back straight and looked cumbersome for a few strides. Once straightened for home, Zhukova came alive and responded to her rider's question by ranging alongside the long-time leader with 2 1/2 furlongs remaining. Soon after, she had Pretty Perfect in trouble and within a furlong also had the trio of black-type 3-year-olds How High the Moon (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Glamorous Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Queen Blossom (Ire) (Jeremy) strung out behind like no-hopers despite giving away a stone in weight to them and 11 pounds to the latter. With the classy Bocca Baciata also struggling to make any impression, this can only be seen as a performance of the highest class and trainer Dermot Weld was suitably delighted with the winner who was bred by his late mother. “That was an impressive performance. My present thoughts are to leave her off now for a summer break and hopefully she will make up into a group 1 filly in the autumn. If we trained her for the [G1] Pretty Polly [at The Curragh June 26] and we get a dry summer it wouldn't suit, as she likes a little ease in the ground. She's effective at 10 furlongs, but is probably even more comfortable going a mile and a half. She's a very big filly–still unfurnished–and when she fills into her frame she will be a serious contender for any of those fillies' and mares' races. The [Oct. 15 G1 QIPCO British Champions] Fillies' and Mares' race on Champions Day at Ascot could well be a target.” Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Wednesday, Naas, Ireland
IRISH NATIONAL STUD EBF BLUE WIND S.-G3, €80,000, NAA, 5-11, 3yo/up, f, 10fT, 2:16.62, yl.
1–@ZHUKOVA (IRE), 135, f, 4, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Nightime (Ire) (G1SW-Ire, $299,507), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Caumshinaun (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Ridge Pool (Ire), by Bluebird
(540,000gns RNA Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Mrs C L Weld (IRE); T-Dermot Weld; J-Pat Smullen. €47,200. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-0, $138,590. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pretty Perfect (Ire), 121, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Milanova (Aus), by Danehill. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Milanova Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €16,000.
3–Bocca Baciata (Ire), 138, f, 4, Big Bad Bob (Ire)–Sovana (Ire), by Desert King (Ire). (€230,000 Ylg '13 GOFORB). O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd; B-Citadel Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. €8,000.
Margins: 7HF, 5HF, 3HF. Odds: 1.10, 3.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: How High The Moon (Ire), Glamorous Approach (Ire), Queen Blossom (Ire).
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