Abu confirms Group One class
Saoirse Abu was cut for next season’s 1000 Guineas after stamping her quality on the Moyglare Stud Stakes with a hard-fought success at the Curragh.
Sent off a relatively unconsidered 25-1 chance when upsetting the odds in the Phoenix Stakes last month, the Jim Bolger-trained filly proved that Group One success was no fluke as she put up a convincing display to secure another top-flight prize.
Having always been prominent in the hands of Kevin Manning, she poked her head in front approaching the final furlong as Clive Brittain’s Albabilia began to weaken.
And while well-backed 4-5 favourite Listen came with a strong run under the Kieren Fallon drive, she never looked like getting to the winner, who passed the post with one and a half lengths to spare.
Mad About You stayed on to claim third spot, while Albabilia had to settle for fourth.
Bolger said of his 13-2 scorer: “I’ve been very happy with her and she’s a hardy horse and very professional.
“We have no definite plans as yet, but I wouldn’t be certain she’d run again this year.
“The 1000 Guineas is the real aim for her next year and even at this stage she wants a mile really.”
Bookmakers reacted to the win by cutting Saoirse Abu for next year’s fillies’ Classic over a mile.
William Hill trimmed her to 14-1 from 16s, while VC Bet and Stan James go 12-1 (from 20s and 25s respectively).
Cashmans rate Bolger’s star a 20-1 chance, but have Listen shorter in their ante-post market at 14s, the same price as VC Bet, although Stan James are just 8s.
While Saoirse Abu’s win rightly stole the limelight on a classy card, Bolger and Manning had already combined to great effect as Many Colours took the Dance Design Stakes.
Owned by Sheikh Mohammed, the 8-1 chance came with a strong run to fend off Magic Carpet and initiate a high-profile 661/2-1 double for the in-form duo.
“She’s going the right way and we thought if we could get some black type we’d be doing well. There could be more improvement there,” Bolger said.
Group Three honours went the way of Norman Invader and British raider Benbaun, who took the Go And Go Round Tower Stakes and Nolan & Brophy Auctioneers Flying Five respectively.
The first-named sprung a 14-1 surprise when proving too strong for Perfect Polly and Aidan O’Brien’s well-backed 2-5 favourite Great Barrier Reef.
Having witnessed their charge get off the mark at the fifth attempt, connections are now mulling an ambitious end-of-season target.
Winning handler Ken Condon said: “He’s always had plenty of ability, which is why we’ve kept him in decent company.
“There is a new race over a mile on the turf at the Breeders’ Cup and we could go there, but we won’t run again here unless the ground is right.”
Benbaun was landing his fifth win at the Curragh when just edging out Dandy Man in a thrilling conclusion to the Flying Five.
The winner was sent off at 100-30 and had to dig deep into his reserves to repel the rallying challenge of Tracey Collins’ charge close home.
“He just loves this place and has won five from eight and been second on the other three occasions he’s run here,” said Mark Hillen, co-owner of the winner, who has now won the Flying Five itself three times.
“It was a fair performance to give Dandy Man 3lb in those conditions. He wants top of the ground and, because of the rain, we were very close to pulling him out today.”
The Sporting Index EBF Irish Cambridgeshire looked to be heading back to County Carlow with the red-hot Bolger team as Akua’ba entered the final furlong with a commanding break on her rivals.
But Fran Berry had other ideas and brought Charlie Swan’s 25-1 shot Jalmira with a well-timed run to brush aside the long-time leader close home.
“She’s a good filly, who had been very unlucky,” said Swan.
“Fran gave her a super ride today and it’s just unfortunate for Billy Lee (finished 10th aboard Crooked Throw), who had the choice of my two runners.
“We’ll try and get some black type at the end of the year for her and then she could be one for the paddocks.”
