By Tom Frary
In a G2 Debutante S. fought out by one of the two most experienced in the line-up and the only maiden, it was the July 26 G3 Silver Flash S. winner Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) who drew away from Bandiuc Eile (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) to take this important Curragh staging post with authority by 2 1/4 lengths. Sent off at 7-1 despite being the only filly in a strong-looking line-up to have won a pattern-race, the bay travelled smoothly off the pace and when sent forward by Ronan Whelan took control with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. As she asserted on the run to the line, Jim Bolger's Bandiuc Eile managed to turn around a 4 1/2-length beating by Ballydoyle's Zagitova (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a Cork maiden over a mile Aug. 11. Over a furlong less here, Bandiuc Eile had a half length to spare over that well-supported 2-1 favourite who in turn held off the 10-length conditions scorer Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) by 3/4 of a length. “That was probably the easiest race she has had and she's still on the up,” her rider said. “I was a little bit concerned that the ground was on the slow side, but she obviously enjoyed it and the form couldn't be any stronger.”
Skitter Scatter was out very early this term, finishing third over five furlongs at Dundalk Mar. 28 before going back to the same track and trip to beat Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy) and The Irish Rover (Ire) (No Nay Never) Apr. 11. Third over an extra furlong in the Listed Coolmore Stud Fillies Sprint S. at Naas May 20, she was a half-length second to So Perfect (Scat Daddy) in the July 1 G3 Grangecon Stud S. when a huge 16-1 for that contest at this venue and was 10-1 when taking the Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown last time. This renewal was stacked with highly-regarded fillies from some of the main stables in Ireland including a trio of smart types from Ballydoyle, but Sonia and Anthony Rogers's homebred could be called the winner some way from home. “I wouldn't be worried about taking on any fillies now,” Ronan Whelan said. “She's quite a set filly and you wouldn't think she'd be improving over time. She hasn't much scope and you would say her earlier days would be better but it's quite the opposite. She's been on the go all year, but it's testament to Patrick [Prendergast] and his crew that she has been kept sweet and is improving like this. The more I looked down through the runners beforehand, the more it worried me but I knew she'd run to her rating all day long and she ran better. Who knows what she can go on to do. For the owners to see her from the foaling sheds to the racetrack, there is no bigger kick in this game and she'll eventually breed plenty of winners for them as well.”
Patrick Prendergast has a genuine star on his hands now. “I was very worried about the rain, but she's so honest, he said. “She deserves her place in the [Sept. 16 G1] Moyglare as she has kept improving all year. If the Moyglare turned out to be heavy, we'd worry some more but at the moment that's where we are going. Hopefully that and then we'll go for a Guineas trial next year. She's all guts and she makes training very easy because she's very very honest and sound. The main thing is that she actually tries to do too much. My staff have done a marvellous job with her. I'm so grateful that a small yard like ours has something like her. Ronan thinks she has the guts and the attitude to go on anything.”
Skitter Scatter is the second foal out of Dane Street (Street Cry {Ire}), whose first turned out to be the GIII Jimmy Durante S. third Data Dependent (More Than Ready). The second dam Daneleta (Danehill) was third in the G3 Railway S. before producing the G1 Dewhurst S.-winning sire Intense Focus (Giant's Causeway), while the third dam is the Listed Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial S. and Listed Athasi S. scorer Zavaleta (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) who is a half to the group 1-winning sire Sholokhov (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Also connected to Soldier of Fortune (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Dane Street has a yearling full-brother to Data Dependent and a colt foal by No Nay Never.
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
DEBUTANTE S.-G2, €115,000, Curragh, 8-26, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:24.83, yl.
1–SKITTER SCATTER, 126, f, 2, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Dane Street, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Daneleta (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Zavaleta (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
O-Anthony Rogers & Mrs Sonia Rogers; B-Three Chimneys Farm LLC & Airlie Stud (KY); T-Patrick Prendergast; J-Ronan Whelan. €67,850. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-2, $154,801. *1/2 to Data Dependent (More Than Ready), GSP-US, $120,500. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bandiuc Eile (Ire), 126, f, 2, New Approach (Ire)–Dream On Buddy (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE). €23,000.
3–Zagitova (Ire), 126, f, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Penchant (GB), by Kyllachy (GB). (1,600,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Lynch Bages Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €11,500.
Margins: 2 1/4, HF, 3/4. Odds: 7.00, 50.00, 2.00.
Also Ran: Lady Kaya (Ire), Iridessa (Ire), Hermosa (Ire), Chocolate Music (Ire), Peach Tree (Ire), Viadera (GB). Scratched: Vallambrosa (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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