Looking for all the world as if faster ground and extra distance would suit when winning the six-furlong G3 Grangecon Stud S. at The Curragh June 26, TDN Rising Star Roly Poly kept up the high standard of the Ballydoyle juveniles in 2016 with another battling display to further enhance her record. Professional from the outset when scoring on debut over five furlongs in a decent maiden at Naas Apr. 25, the bay had found the rain-softened ground against her on her next two outings when fourth in the Listed Marble Hill S. at The Curragh May 21 and eighth in Royal Ascot's G2 Queen Mary S. June 15.
Able to gain her black-type win back at the former venue despite the yielding conditions, the daughter of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Misty For Me relished this top-of-the-ground and was enthusiastic racing prominently after a smart break. Beginning to assert when she received a smack with Ryan Moore's whip passing the furlong pole, Roly Poly was as tenacious as she was in Kildare to hold off compatriot Magical Fire in the run to the line. “She had her ground today–at Ascot it was too soft for her and she was very brave at the Curragh,” her jockey said. “She's backed up in under two weeks and is very tough and genuine. She has plenty of pace, but I'm sure she'd get a bit further.”
Kevin Buckley, UK representative for Coolmore, was suggesting a return to Britain for the winner afterwards. “We're very pleased with her and she toughed it out well, going up an extra furlong,” he commented. “Ryan Moore was very complimentary about her. She has a wonderful pedigree and being by War Front, she's appreciated that better ground. We'll probably keep her to six furlongs and I'd imagine the [G2] Lowther [S. at York Aug. 18] will come into the equation now. We may take a view to step her up a little further after that, as her mother, Misty For Me, was good over a mile. It will be interesting to see what Aidan has to say, but visually, she was impressive.”
Magical Fire, who was last seen finishing fifth behind Roly Poly in the Grangecon Stud S., delighted trainer Michael O'Callaghan with her effort and he said, “She'll possibly run in the Lowther next, as she's entered in that. Colm [O'Donoghue] thought she might have won had there been a stronger pace, as they didn't go very quick. She's a strong, robust filly that will keep improving and she has a brilliant mind. You can put a line through her last run at the Curragh as she had no cover over the straight six, which is very difficult for an immature two-year-old.” Richard Hannon said of the third-placed Nations Alexander, “We're very pleased with her run and it's another step in the right direction. It was good to see her transfer her level of form to this faster surface. She could go up to seven furlongs now.”
Only the second foal out of Misty For Me, who went on from her juvenile highs when winning the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Moyglare Stud S. to add the Irish Guineas and G1 Pretty Polly S. to her tally, the winner is therefore closely connected with her year-older stablemate Ballydoyle (Ire), a full-sibling of the dam who also took the Marcel Boussac in October. Butterfly Cove is a sister to the champion Fasliyev, who did even more damage as a 2-year-old, so the portents were there for a big season from Roly Poly. This is also the family of the sires Desert Wine and Menifee. Now tied to War Front, Misty For Me has a yearling colt and a filly foal by that sire and has been bred back to him this year.
Friday, Newmarket, Britain
DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE S.-G2, £80,000, NEW, 7-8, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:10.72, g/f.
1–ROLY POLY, 126, f, 2, 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. £45,368. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 5-3-0-0, $114,592. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Magical Fire (Ire), 126, f, 2, Dragon Pulse (Ire)–Bridal Dance (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (€50,000 Wlg '14 GOFNOV). O-Whitehead Family Partnership; B-Fontstown Stud (IRE); T-Michael O'Callaghan. £17,200.
3–Nations Alexander (Ire), 126, f, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Party Whip (Ire), by Whipper. (34,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; 50,000gns Ylg '15 TAOCT). O-Noel O'Callaghan; B-Oak Hill Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £8,608.
Margins: HF, HD, HD. Odds: 6.00, 33.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Kilmah (GB), Seafront (GB), Bletchley (GB), Asidious Alexander (Ire), Somebody to Love (Ire), Nasimi (GB), Soul Silver (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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