Performance Review
July 2017
July got off to a good start with two of our Godolphin fillies breaking their maidens early in the month.
First up was Snowstar who got her head in front finally at Tipperary on 6 July in a five-furlong maiden. She had been threatening to win, with three places in a row prior to that victory. Billy was in the saddle and he got her into a nice rhythm and only had to keep her going once she got in front to keep up her winning advantage.
Two days later Belle Boyd got a win on the board when she was successful in a mile maiden at Naas. Billy didn’t have to work hard for this win either, she pulled clear by six lengths for a very pleasing performance. She ran well on both her previous starts, finishing third and then second before getting her win.
Outside Inside tackled seven furlongs for the first time and it suited her perfectly.
The next step now for both fillies is to get some black type with them. I am looking at Tipperary for the two of them as I think there are suitable races for both fillies there next month. Belle Boyd will probably go for the Group Three Fairy Bridge Stakes that’s just short of a mile and Snowstar might run in the five furlong Listed Abergwan Stakes.
Aurora Butterfly ran a great race to be fifth in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh on 15 July. I was delighted with her performance as she looked like being placed but her stamina was stretched to the limit by the mile and a half trip. It was a fantastic day for Madeline Burns who bred and owns Aurora Butterfly, to have her filly run so well in a Classic and we will drop her back in trip for her next run.
Another owner-breeder in the yard whose filly has done him proud is John Connaughton as his homebred Bloomfield was second in the Listed Oaks Trial at Naas on only her second start.
Marvellous Ways has been placed twice on her last two starts, both of them in July. She was fourth over 10 furlongs at Naas on 8 July and then we tried her over a furlong further at Killarney on Tuesday night. Despite running keen on Leigh Roche early in the race she stayed on well again at the end to finish second so she isn’t lacking stamina.
On Saturday 22 July at Gowran we had a good result in the Foran Median Auction Maiden for fillies. Outside Inside, owned by Garret Freyne tackled seven furlongs for the first time and it suited her perfectly. She was a good winner on only her second run and Camino Song came fourth which was pleasing for her debut. A daughter of Kodiac, she comes from a good middle-distance family – her dam is a half-sister to a pair of Group winners over 10 and 12 furlongs and is a granddaughter of Roseate Tern who won the Group One Yorkshire Oaks and was second in the Oaks – while Camino Song’s full brother won over seven furlongs at two.
Snowstar was placed yet again, this time finishing third in the five-furlong handicap at the Curragh on 29 July. She has been such a consistent performer this season, being placed and winning one of her five starts so far and I really want her to get another win soon. That was a good performance for her first run in a handicap and we will look for a similar race for her soon.