Group I juvenile racing unfolded at the Curragh overnight and while the Group I National Stakes (7f) for colts and Moyglare Stud Stakes (7f) for fillies were both won by horses trained by members of the O’Brien family neither horse was the favourite.
The colts went around in the National Stakes with Wootton Bassett’s son Henri Matisse a short priced favourite following three impressive wins at his only previous starts including two of them at G2 level.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Henri Matisse looked likely to win until he raced very greenly over the concluding stages losing momentum and allowing the Joseph O’Brien trained Mehmas colt Scorthy Champ to take a half length win with Dylan Brown McMonagle in the saddle.
Scorthy Champ won his debut in May and followed up with a third to Henri Matisse in the Group II Futurity before this elite victory that may pave the way for further success.
“I thought it was very impressive and Dylan said Scorthy Champ idled in front, and that he is a top-notcher. I don't know what he will do next but if I was to guess, I'd say he will run again this season. I see him more as a miler so the Prix Lagardere or the Breeders' Cup are options,” said Joseph O'Brien.
Scorthy Champ was purchased by his trainer from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 for 155,000 guineas from the Ballylinch Stud draft and is a full brother to Group II winner Malavath and Group III winner Knight.
He is the third stakes-winner from three to race from unplaced New Approach mare Fidaaha, a sibling to Group winners Ceisteach and Steip Amach.
Scorthy Champ is the 32nd stakes-winner for Mehmas and is his fifth Group I winner. He is also the seventh Group I winner as a broodmare sire New Approach.
The Moyglare Stud Stakes had a field of just five fillies and four of them were by Frankel, who had the favourite Bedtime Story, but it was her Aidan O’Brien trained stablemate Lake Victoria that took the prize coming from last with a furlong to run.
A winner at her two previous starts, she kept the unbeaten record intact for Wayne Lordan to take a length and a quarter win over Too Darn Hot filly Simmering, the only non Frankel filly in the field.
“She’s a very good filly. She won here the first day, she got to the front and was very green. Ryan said she got to the front way too early that day, but her pace took her there and she obviously still won,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“She went to Newmarket and Seanie (Levey) won o her and she won very impressively. She’s a very classy filly.
“We thought she would be second to the other filly (Bedtime Story). She just hit the gates, he (Ryan Moore) just couldn’t get her back then and that was it. When that happens it’s usually over.
“She’ll be grand too, she’s a little bit like her sister and we’ll just go gentle and slow her down a little bit.”
Lake Victoria may well press on the to Group I Cheveley Park Stakes at the end of the month.
“It’s a possibility the winner could go to the Cheveley Park. We ran her here with the thought in our head that she could be a Cheveley Park filly,” O’Brien said.
“We thought she’d be second to the other filly. She’s a very fast filly and that was the plan. We took our time on her, let her relax, and didn’t want to give her a tough race.
“Wayne gave her a brilliant ride. She’s fast, she’s by Frankel but she’s made like a sprinter.”
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Lake Victoria is now three for three and is a three-quarter sister to Group II placed Bluegrass. She is the best of three winners from dual Group I winning sprinter Quiet Reflection, a daughter of speed sire Showcasing.
Lake Victoria is the 35th Group I winner for Frankel and is the first for Showcasing as a broodmare sire.
