By Tom Frary
Breaking her duck at this level last time in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 14, TDN Rising Star Roly Poly maintained the momentum to bring up a quick double with a tenacious display here. Successful last term in the G3 Grangecon Stud S. at The Curragh and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at Newmarket, the diminutive bay had held her form when runner-up in York's G2 Lowther S. and in the G1 Cheveley Park S. on Newmarket's Rowley Mile before running ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Returning with a below-par effort when only seventh in the G3 Nell Gwyn S. over seven furlongs back at Newmarket Apr. 19, she ran better when sixth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches over this course and distance May 13 and improved again when runner-up to stablemate Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in both the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh May 28 and the June 23 G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot prior to her Falmouth breakthrough.
Fronting the five-strong group racing up the centre throughout the early stages, she joined the stand's-side leader Usherette (Ire) (Shamardal) at halfway and they matched strides until the Ballydoyle raider began to assert from the quarter pole. Having to fight to ward off the determined Siyoushake in the final furlong, she had the race won by the time the strong-closing Via Ravenna emerged on Siyoushake's outer. Just behind was the 19-10 favourite Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who had to make a daring run up the rail from rear as she tried in vain to defend last year's title. One of the race's main eye-catchers was the returning G1 Matron S. runner-up Persuasive (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who stayed on late after having to come around tiring rivals at a crucial stage.
“This filly is improving with every run and has a lot of heart,” Ryan Moore commented. “She always fights hard and gives her best. She had to do that today, as it was a very good race and maybe that's her best performance to date. I am not the one who decides on her next run, but I would imagine something like the Matron or the Sun Chariot are options. I'll leave that to the trainer.”
Roly Poly's dam Misty For Me was almost certainly top ten of the fillies to race for Aidan O'Brien, winning the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at two and the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Pretty Polly S. the following year. Her first foal was last year's GIII Autumn Miss S. winner Cover Song (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), while her 2015 colt turned out to be this year's G2 July S. runner-up U S Navy Flag, also by War Front. The second dam, the unraced Butterfly Cove, also threw the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G2 Debutante S. winner and G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Ballydoyle (Ire) and the listed scorer and G3 Musidora S. runner-up Twirl (Ger) from matings with Galileo. Butterfly Cove is a full-sister to the G3 1000 Guineas Trial S. winner Kamarinskaya and a half to the G1 Phoenix S. and G1 Prix Morny-winning European champion Fasliyev. Their respective dam Mr. P's Princess is in turn a half-sister to the multiple top-level scorers Desert Wine and Menifee who both finished runner-up in the GI Kentucky Derby. Misty For Me has a yearling filly and a 2017 colt also by War Front.
Saturday, Deauville, France
PRIX ROTHSCHILD-G1, €300,000, DVL, 7-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:36.45, gd.
1–ROLY POLY, 121, f, 3, by War Front">War Front
1st Dam: Misty For Me (Ire) (Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire & Fr, Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 9.5-11f, MG1SW-Ire, G1SW-Fr & GISP-US, $1,124,364), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Butterfly Cove, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Mr. P's Princess, by Mr. Prospector
($575,000 RNA Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Misty For Me Syndicate (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €171,420. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, GSW & G1SP-Ire, 14-5-4-0, €692,290. *Full to U S Navy Flag, GSP-Eng & SP-Ire, & 1/2 to Cover Song (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), GSW-US, $122,227. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Via Ravenna (Ire), 121, f, 3, Raven's Pass–Via Milano (Fr), by Singspiel (Ire), O/B-Haras de Saint Pair (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €68,580.
3–Siyoushake (Ire), 129, m, 5, Siyouni (Fr)–Shakeyourbody, by Giant's Causeway. (€50,000 Ylg '13 AROCT). O-Roy Racing Ltd & Andrew Morley; B-Aleyrion Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Freddy Head. €34,290.
Margins: SNK, SHD, SNK. Odds: 3.20, 15.50, 17.00.
Also Ran: Qemah (Ire), Persuasive (Ire), Usherette (Ire), Furia Cruzada (Chi), Dame du Roi (Ire), Realtra (Ire), Arabian Hope. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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