A STAR ASCENDANT
Rapidly rising star of the sprinting ranks Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) registered a career high in Haydock's G2 Sandy Lane S. last month and, having scooted to an impressive success there, was forced to unleash her entire armoury to prevail in a thrilling climax to Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, her first start at the highest level. Adopting her usual hold-up tactics under cover in rear until gliding into contention after halfway, the 7-4 favourite found gaps to launch her challenge approaching the final furlong and would not be denied under a drive from former jump jockey Dougie Costello to prevail by a length from the errant Kachy (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), who wandered much of Berkshire in the closing stages. Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) held every chance in the closing stages, but could not strike a telling blow nearing the line and was a half-length further back in third. “Anybody could have won on her last time out and again today,” claimed a clearly emotional Costello after posting his first Group 1 success. “She jumps and goes wherever you want to put her and just switches off. She didn't pick up as well as she can on that ground, but she took me there and her courage got it done. It's been a long road and I'm just so lucky.”
Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
COMMONWEALTH CUP-G1, £430,000, ASC, 6-17, 3yo, 6fT, 1:14.50, g/s.
1–&QUIET REFLECTION (GB), 126, f, 3, by Showcasing (GB)
1st Dam: My Delirium (GB), by Haafhd (GB)
2nd Dam: Clare Hills (Ire), by Orpen
3rd Dam: Morale (GB), by Bluebird
(£32,000 Ylg '14 DNSIL; £44,000 2yo '15 DONBRE). O-Ontoawinner, Strecker & Burke; B-Springcombe Park Stud (GB); T-Karl Burke; J-Dougie Costello. £243,853. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 7-6-0-0, $594,554. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kachy (GB), 129, c, 3, Kyllachy (GB)–Dubai Bounty (GB), by Dubai Destination. (£52,000 Ylg '14 DNPRM). O-Jones Lowe Mound Trowbridge; B-Denniff Farms Ltd (GB); T-Tom Dascombe. £92,450.
3–Washington Dc (Ire), 129, c, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–How's She Cuttin' (Ire), by Shinko Forest (Ire). (75,000gns Wlg '13 TATFOA; €340,000 Ylg '14 GOFORB). O-Mrs John Magnier, Mr M. Tabor & Mr D. Smith; B-P. Hyland & C. & J. McHale (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £46,268.
Margins: 1, HF, 1. Odds: 1.75, 14.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: La Rioja (GB), Illuminate (Ire), Cheikeljack (Fr), Waterloo Bridge (Ire), Dream Dubai (GB), Donjuan Triumphant (Ire), Log Out Island (Ire). Scratched: Buratino (Ire), Money Maker (Spa). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Opening up with a five-length debut score at Hamilton July 16, Quiet Reflection bounced back from her sole defeat in York's Aug. 20 Lowther S. to close her juvenile campaign with impressive tallies in the Sept. 18 Listed Harry Rosebery S. at Ayr and Oct. 9 G3 Cornwallis S. at Newmarket. The Doncaster bargain breezer continued on a roll when annexing Chantilly's Apr. 10 G3 Prix Sigy on seasonal return and found a launchpad for this when powering to a hugely impressive win in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock last time May 28. She becomes the first domestic Group 1 winner, and a first Royal scorer, for trainer Karl Burke, another former jump jockey, who saddled Lord Shanakill (Speightstown) to victory in the 2009 G1 Prix Jean Prat. “I'm pretty emotional, but it's fantastic and I'm absolutely delighted,” said Burke. “When you see your contemporaries and lads you grew up with like Richard Fahey and Kevin Ryan having winners at the big meetings, you're itching to have one. We've had a few near misses and it's great to get there at last. She's a very good filly and it's a big relief. It wasn't the plan to be stuck in the middle and I was just praying it wasn't going to be a rough race, but she's got a good turn of foot and it got her out of trouble. The Commonwealth Cup is a great race and a great idea for 3-year-olds. Where would we be going if it wasn't for this?” Pondering options for the immediate future, the trainer continued, “This was the main plan and now we've got to take on our elders. We're in the [July 9 G1] July Cup, but I'd be frightened of that if the ground came up fast with the undulations at Newmarket. The clever thing to do now is give her a little break and aim her at the [Sept. 3 G1 ] Sprint Cup at Haydock followed by [the G1 British Champions Sprint on] Champions Day back here [Oct. 15].” Burke also reflected on a rocky past which included a one-year BHA ban for supplying inside information to a professional gambler, and added, “I can't have any complaints. I've had a great career and I enjoyed my riding. I wasn't great at that, but did my best, and I've enjoyed training. We had a few problems a few years ago, but that's in the past. I broke a rule and got punished for it. I think we've done well to get back to where we are so quickly.”
Runner-up Kachy would have at least finished closer, if not won, but for testing Pythagoras theorem inside the final quarter mile. However, trainer Tom Dascombe, who trained the winner's full-brother Full Intention to run fourth in Tuesday's Listed Windsor Castle S. at this meet, took the positives from a disappointing outcome. “Second in a Group 1 is second in a Group 1,” he reflected. “We obviously wanted to win, but I'm thrilled for Karl Burke and if we're going to lose to anyone I'd rather it be him. I don't know why the horse drifted across the track. I think [jockey] Richard [Kingscote] did the right thing and took him away from the others [in the centre of the track]. I thought we were the winner all the way, but he's ended up on the stands' side rail so a pair of blinkers might be the answer.” Aidan O'Brien was succinct in his summary of Washington DC's third-place finish and said, “He ran very well. It was a creditable effort, but he'd prefer better ground.”
Quiet Reflection's dam My Delirium (GB) (Haafhd {GB}) is represented by just two foals to date, with the her 2-year-old full-brother Full Intention (GB), showing smart early form as well as finishing fourth in Tuesday's Listed Windsor Castle S. here for trainer Tom Dascombe. Her pedigree is surprisingly light on high achievement, given the undoubted class of this performer, with just the precocious Listed Hilary Needler Trophy victress Clare Hills (Ire) (Orpen) of any note under the first three dams.
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