Sunday stroll as Sariska toys with Oaks rivals
Jamie Spencer was adamant he took Michael Bell’s filly to the front too early in the English equivalent at Epsom, but the ultra-confident pilot was never going to repeat such behaviour.
He sat motionless for most of this 12 furlongs and refused to move a muscle all the way up the straight, as Roses For The Lady tried to make all.
But this was Spencer at his imperious best. When he gets the fractions right, there is really no one quite like him.
Approaching the furlong pole it was crystal clear that, barring an earthquake, or some such unforeseen calamity, Sariska wasn’t even going to come off the bridle.
Spencer took Fran Berry, on Roses For The Lady, out of his misery 150 metres out when finally easing Sariska into the lead.
Indeed, so easily was the daughter of Pivotal travelling, that Spencer couldn’t resist giving Berry a little wave as he sailed past.
“She’s a little star”, exclaimed the rider. “At all stages of the race, I felt in control.
“Fran was in trouble at the two furlong pole and my filly put it to bed easily. She is a dual Oaks winner now and has nothing to prove.
“I think she will be equally as good at ten furlongs and we are learning about her all of the time.”
For Spencer it was a fifth classic, three in his native country and two in England.
Trainer, Michael Bell, was enjoying his first classic success in Ireland and only his third ever winner at headquarters.
Said Bell: “She is a machine, you just cannot believe you have her. I felt she had improved since Epsom, having done some serious work last week.
“She will go for the Yorkshire Oaks and we will get that out of the way first. There is a fillies pattern and it could be the Prix Vermeille and then the Breeders’ Cup turf.
“But the race I would really love to win is the ‘Arc. She is a very exciting animal to have in the yard.”
Henry Cecil’s Midday, narrowly beaten by Sariska at Epsom, could only manage a struggling third on this occasion.
She never looked happy on the testing ground and was being pushed along down hill to the home turn.
It was only courage which got her into contention two furlongs from home, but it was a short-lived effort and she soon faded.
Tommy Stack continued his tremendous campaign when Walk On Bye, one of only two fillies in the contest, slammed the colts in the Group 3 Jebel Ali Stables and Racecourse Anglesey Stakes.
This was essentially over as a contest, once Wayne Lordan pulled out the daughter of Danehill Dancer to launch her effort.
She lengthened in fine style to shoot a length and three parts clear of the flattering King Ledley.
Fozzy Stack represented his father and said: “The Goffs’ Million Sprint is her big target and she will have one more run before that.
“It’s unlikely to be the Phoenix Stakes because that’s in two weeks and will come too soon and she would have to be supplemented. She could go for the Morny (Deauville) or the Lowther (York).”
Black Quartz, second at Naas four days earlier, made no mistake in the Whitney Moore EBF Maiden.
As a son of Danehill Dancer, Aidan O’Brien’s colt was always likely to handle the testing conditions and was backed from 2-1 to evens.
Soon in front for Johnny Murtagh, he found enough in the closing stages to resist the challenge of promising newcomer, Jim Bolger’s Reiteration.
“He idled in front, but Johnny was happy”, reported O’Brien. “He is very babyish and will improve with every run.”
The mud-loving Pat Flynn-trained She’s Our Mark battled on powerfully to win the Listed Kilboy Estate Stakes.
For much of the nine furlongs journey it appeared as if Murtagh might have stolen the contest on Latin Love.
But Danny Grany conjured a real tune from She’s Our Mark through the final two furlongs and she gradually got on top to score going away by two lengths.
The splendid Adrienne Foley was seen at her best aboard Sean Treacy’s Taralga in the Thalgo Ladies Derby.
The Sinndar mare made all of the running, with Foley getting it spot-on to shoot home comfortably clear of Gratified.
Just For Mary, successful at the Curragh on Derby weekend, did it again when taking the very valuable Ladbrokes’ Rockingham Handicap.
The bottom weight, 7lbs wrong at the weights, surged through late for Rory Cleary to beat Senor Benny and there was never any possibility of a change in placings at the subsequent stewards’ inquiry.
Aidan O’Brien’s son, Joseph, continues to impress and was seen to real effect on Michael Grassick’s Silver Tide in the Bradys’ Mercedes-Benz Handicap.
He drove her for all he was worth in the closing stages to beat Tin Town Boy a neck, giving the youngster his fifth winner.
Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen struck in the last, the Darley Flying Start Maiden, when Art Broker proved far too good for market leader, Estephe.
