Ballydoyle double-handed with intriguing fillies at the Curragh on Friday
Ylang Ylang and Opera Singer
Curragh, 5.35, Friday, Kildare House Hotel Irish EBF Fillies Maiden
What's the story?
This race has a recent rich roll of honour, with 2021 honours going to subsequent Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Discoveries - the Niarchos family's Mstercraftsman sister to the brilliant Alpha Centauri - while last year's renewal was won by dual Group 3 winner and this year's Prix de Diane second Never Ending Story.
Never Ending Story is trained by Aidan O'Brien and the Ballydoyle maestro sends out two intriguing newcomers in what looks a very hot maiden on pedigrees. There's an extra layer of interest as Ylang Ylang sold from Newsells Park Stud to MV Magnier and partners for 1,500,000gns from last year's Tattersalls Book 1.
Magnier said after the purchase: "She’s a very nice filly and Frankel is doing very well as a sire. In fairness to Newsells Park they’ve always been very good breeders and I’d like to wish the new owner, Graham Smith-Bernal, the best of luck.
“They deserved to make a good price when they’ve bred a filly like this as she’s got a lot of quality. It’s a really good result for the co-breeder, Craig Bennett from Merry Fox Stud, too.”
What's their breeding?
Ylang Ylang is the first foal out of Shamardal mare Shambolic, a dual winner at two and multiple Listed-placed at three for John Gosden and the Duke of Devonshire and Duke of Roxburghe.
The seven-year-old - who sold to Hadden Bloodstock for 800,000gns from Highclere at the 2019 Tattersalls December Mares Sale - is a half-sister to Grade 1 Diana Stakes and Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes scorer Laughing, by Dansili, and the prolific multiple Hong Kong Group 1 victor Viva Pataca, by Marju.
They are out of the winning Be My Chief mare Comic, a half-sister to dual American Grade 2 scorer Brave Act (Persian Bold) and Listed March Stakes winner Jellaby Askhir (Salse).
Her stablemate, Justify filly Opera Singer, is the 11th foal out of the prolific Sadler's Wells mare Liscanna, who was herself a classy performer when landing the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes in the colours of the late Evie Stockwell for trainer David Wachman.
Opera Singer, whose immediate family were bred and nurtured by Stockwell, is therefore a half-sister to the likes of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hit It A Bomb and Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Brave Anna, as well as the black type-placed duo of Threeandfourpence and Border Town. All those four are by War Front.
Who do they face?
The contest does not look a two-horse race by any stretch of the imagination, with a number of equally fascinating rivals set to line up.
Among them are Finsceal Luas, a Camelot filly out of dual 1,000 Guineas heroine Finsceal Beo and a close relation to Group 2 winner and Arctic Tack Stud sire Ol' Man River. Another of interest is Betula, by Lope De Vega and out of a winning Galileo half-sister to Alpha Centauri, Alpine Star and Discoveries, from the brilliant Niarchos family of Miesque, Kingmambo and East Of The Moon.
Ten Deep is by Coolmore's first-season sire Ten Sovereigns and is out of a Dream Ahead half-sister to the late Group 1 winner and sire Havana Gold. Galileo's Enthralling is another to note on the page, being out of Queen Mary Stakes second Gossamer Wings.
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