Brave Chorist lands Group One prize
Chorist produced a game front-running performance to claim the Group One Audi Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh today.
William Haggas’s filly was sent off the 7-4 second favourite for the 10-furlong event and had to work hard to hold off 6-4 market leader Alexander Goldrun.
Darryll Holland took up the running on the British raider after a furlong and a half as Ivowen settled into second, with James Fanshawe’s Soldera running alongside Alexander Goldrun.
Turning for home, the four were still dominating the race as Livadiya and last year’s winner Hanami, the third British-trained runner, struggled to make any impact.
Coming into the final furlong Kevin Manning unleashed Alexander Goldrun down the outside and Chorist had a real battle on her hands.
However, she found a little bit extra for Holland to repel the favourite’s challenge by half a length, with the pair pulling clear of Ivowen.
Haggas’s wife Maureen was representing the yard and she was full of praise for the Cheveley Park Stud-owned mare.
“This is the bravest filly I’ve ever had anything to do with,” she said.
“Every jockey who has ever ridden her has said they’d like to marry her as she’s so tough and brave and gives 150% every time she runs.”
There are no definite plans for Chorist, but Mrs Haggas thinks she will probably be kept at the top level now.
“Today was great and we hadn’t really thought beyond that, but I suppose we’ll have to go the Group One trail now as she’d have to carry a penalty elsewhere,” she added.
Holland chose to partner this filly rather than go to Newcastle for the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate and he was glad to be proved right.
He said, “I always knew I was going to hold on when the other filly came to me and she enjoyed herself on what is a really good surface.”
Dubai Success narrowly failed to make it a double British celebration when he was just edged out by Mkuzi in the Sharp Minds Betfair Curragh Cup.
Cruzspiel made much of the running in the Group Three race and Johnny Murtagh had Dubai Success settled in second, while fellow British raider The Whistling Teal was back in fourth.
Murtagh threw down a strong challenge on Barry Hills’ 100-30 joint-favourite coming into the final couple of furlongs, but Michael Kinane then produced 7-1 shot Mkuzi with a strong run to deny him by half a length.
Winning trainer John Oxx, who was also responsible for the third Cruzspiel, said of Mkuzi: “He got the trip well and he’s been a terrific horse for us, earning a lot of prize-money.”
Aidan O’Brien unveiled another potentially useful two-year-old in Rowan Tree, who took the Netjets Maiden.
The Singspiel colt, who is out of a half-sister to top sprinters Lochsong and Lochangel, put his speed to good use in the six-furlong event.
Rowan Tree, sent off the 4-5 favourite, looked good value for his neck win over National Swagger and O’Brien was pleased with what he called “a lovely introduction” for the colt.
