By Tom Frary
With the anticipated storm eventually coming to Haydock, connections of last year's G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup heroine Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) opted to run but it was another filly who was in the spotlight as Priceless brought up a major group-race double for Clive Cox and Adam Kirby. So impressive on Bath's non-watered firm surface in the five-furlong Listed Lansdown S. Apr. 21, the bay had finished fifth in the G3 Palace House S. at Newmarket three weeks ago which represented her sole defeat over this trip. In front of the main pack but behind the far side overall, she gained the advantage over that pack passing two out and stayed on as Goldream finished off strongly. Like that rival, the winner will attempt to win the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 20. “I was of the opinion that she would be one for the second half of the year, as we had a dry spring and I hadn't forced her ahead of the Bath race,” Cox explained. “Since we dropped her back to five furlongs, she's just improved and taken a step up. She was very green in her younger days and we tried to stretch her out in trip, but bringing her back to five has been the making of her. This track suited her better than Newmarket, with its stiff finish as she has so much speed. She's getting stronger and better all the time and the King's Stand is definitely made for her. As long as we are sensible, she'll keep going.”
Priceless is a half-sister to the G2 Mill Reef S. runner-up Doctor Brown and also Bright Moll (GB) (Mind Games {GB}), dam of the G3 Chipchase S. winner Aeolus (GB) (Araafa {Ire}) and listed-placed Hezmah (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The third dam Taplow is also the second dam of the stakes-producing and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup heroine Rebelline (Ire) (Robellino) and her G2 Blandford S.-winning full-brother Quws (GB) from the family of the G1 Prix Royal-Oak-winning sire Braashee. Molly Brown's 2-year-old colt Hard Graft (GB) is by another former Cox stable star in Lethal Force (Ire) and he was fourth on debut here on Friday.
Saturday, Haydock, Britain
ARMSTRONG AGGREGATES TEMPLE S.-G2, £100,000, HAY, 5-27, 3yo/up, 5fT, :57.55, fm.
1–@PRICELESS (GB), 127, f, 4, by Exceed and Excel (Aus)
1st Dam: Molly Brown (GB), by Rudimentary
2nd Dam: Sinking (GB), by Midyan
3rd Dam: Taplow, by Tap On Wood (Ire)
(70,000gns Ylg '14 TAOCT). O-A D Spence; B-Biddestone Stud (GB); T-Clive Cox; J-Adam Kirby. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 12-4-2-1, $192,903. *1/2 to Doctor Brown (GB) (Dr Fong), GSP-Eng & SP-HK, $639,039. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Goldream (GB), 130, g, 8, Oasis Dream (GB)–Clizia (Ire), by Machiavellian. (7,619gns 3yo '12 TAJUL; 45,714gns RNA 3yo '12 TA12). O-J Sargeant & Mrs J Morley; B-Tsega Breeding Ltd (GB); T-Robert Cowell. £21,500.
3–Alpha Delphini (GB), 130, g, 6, Captain Gerrard (Ire)–Easy to Imagine, by Cozzene. (20,000gns Ylg '12 TAOCT). O-The Alpha Delphini Partnership; B-Mrs B A Matthews (GB); T-Bryan Smart. £10,760.
Margins: HF, NK, 1HF. Odds: 5.50, 10.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Final Venture (GB), Kachy (GB), Washington DC (Ire), Take Cover (GB), Encore d'Or (GB), Waady (Ire), Quiet Reflection (GB), Cotai Glory (GB), Thesme (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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