'It's nice to get back in the groove' - Sean Levey wins in Tabor silks again as Lake Victoria storms to success in Sweet Solera

Sean Levey spent eight years in County Tipperary with Ballydoyle and the rider reunited with Aidan O'Brien to take the Sweet Solera Stakes with Lake Victoria.

With Ryan Moore riding Whistlejacket in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, Levey rode the Curragh maiden winner, who beat the highly regarded subsequent winner Red Letter in June. 

Lake Victoria has a dream pedigree – she is out of champion sprinter Quiet Reflection and was giving superstar sire Frankel his 100th Group winner – and was backed from 9-5 to 11-8 favourite.

The market move proved well founded. She always raced prominently under Levey and, although she drifted right when hitting the rising ground, she stormed clear once straightened by her jockey to beat Mountain Breeze.

"Lake Victoria is not short of speed but she hit the line strong there today," the rider said of the two-length winner. "I've not won in these Michael Tabor silks for a long time, so it's nice to get back in the groove."

Lake Victoria pictured beating Red Letter at the Curragh in JuneCredit: Patrick McCann

The Ballydoyle team enjoyed winners out of star mares Tepin, Nickname and Winter at the Curragh, and their Newmarket rider added: "I think she has a pedigree to match all of the winners the stable has had today."

Levey's last ride for O'Brien came in the King George at Ascot, where he partnered the pacemaker Hans Andersen, while Lake Victoria was breaking new ground for the trainer as she was his first runner in the Group 3 contest. 

The filly holds a host of sparkling entries, most notably the Moyglare Stud Stakes back at the Curragh on September 15. Last year's winner of the Sweet Solera, Fallen Angel, went on to strike in that Group 1 before taking the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May.

Bookmakers reacted to Lake Victoria's promising performance by cutting her to 12-1 (from 16s) for next year's 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and 20-1 (from 25s) for the Oaks over half a mile further.

Mountain Breeze ran respectably in second and highlighted O'Brien's strength in the division, given she was fourth to the winner's stablemate Fairy Godmother in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Gemma Tutty-trained York winner Elsie's Ruan ran a promising race in third.

Taking Tabiti

Ralph Beckett won the opening 7f maiden with Derby runner Macduff in 2023 and he landed it with another Juddmonte juvenile, Tabiti.  

The £40,000 contest is now restricted to fillies and the daughter of Kingman showed a professional attitude under Rossa Ryan to justify 9-5 favouritism, stretching three and a quarter lengths away from Zanzoun. 

The jockey said: "She had to do everything on her own terms and she did it quite comfortably. She fairly put it to bed quickly. She got a bit idle late on but she showed enough to please you, and she can only build on it."

Last year's winner of the race, the Clive Cox-trained Ghostwriter, went on to Group 2 success and will be one of the big rivals to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International at York later this month.

Nifty type

Tom Clover has enjoyed winners at 1-33 and 40-1 in the last fortnight and the trainer looks to have unearthed an exciting handicapper in Fifty Nifty.

Clover has proved he can do it all by saddling a short-priced winner at Lingfield last Tuesday before striking with a rank outsider at Glorious Goodwood, and with his latest winner he looks to have another promising individual.

Fifty Nifty travelled strongly under Oisin Murphy before beating Waiting All Night by half a length in the 7f handicap and ought to be a three-year-old to follow as the autumn kicks into gear.

Murphy had earlier won the 7f nursery on Pappa Louis for Tom Dascombe, completed his treble on Mount Teide in the mile handicap for Andrew Balding, and made it a four-timer on Galactic Charm for Michael Bell in the 1m4f handicap.

Read more:

Anmaat has possible Irish Champion Stakes target after returning from long layoff with Rose of Lancaster victory 

Unbeaten Babouche betters Ballydoyle hotpot Whistlejacket in exciting Phoenix Stakes clash 

'There's going to be some celebration now' - Hayley Turner does it again as late show seals Shergar Cup glory

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