Success Days spoils JFK's party in Ballysax

Sunday's Ballysax S. (Ire-G3) was supposed to be all about the 1-4 favorite

John F Kennedy (Galileo), but Ballydoyle's Derby (Eng-G1) principal proved a

major disappointment when trailing in last of three in this testing ground as

Success Days (Jeremy) led from pillar to post in an impressive display of

dominant front-running at Leopardstown.

Off the mark over seven furlongs at Gowran Park in August, the gray was too

free when fifth behind Parish Boy (New Approach) in the nine-furlong Eyrefield

S. here in October before returning to take a Cork conditions event over an

extended mile eight days ago.

Unconsidered by the betting public and possibly also by the riders of his two

opponents, Success Days had already been sent into a clear advantage by the end

of the back straight and was asked to kick off the turn. Drifting right there

and then darting left away from Shane Foley's whip, he nevertheless maintained a

relentless momentum as John F Kennedy struggled and Zafilani (Azamour) stayed on

without threatening.

"I loved this horse all last year and he only just did enough at Cork last

week," his rider commented. "He relishes this ground and I knew he'd stay well

and that there would be no pace on. He tried to run off the track and if he'd

gone straight, he'd have been even more impressive. There was a lot more in the

locker and it's hard to know how good he is. He goes through that ground and it

feels easy to him."

Connections may look at the Irish Derby (Ire-G1) at the Curragh June 27.

Proving that when a stable is hot, it's hot, Stormfly (Dark Angel) brushed

aside her rivals in the Leopardstown One Thousand Guineas Trial (Ire-G3) to add

another notable success to the tally of Dermot Weld's Rosewell House

establishment in 2015.

With only modest juvenile form behind her, having been third in the Coolmore

Stud Fillies' Sprint S. over six furlongs at Naas in June and fourth in the C.L.

& M.F. Weld Park S. (Ire-G3) over this seven-furlong trip at the Curragh in

September, the gray needed to step up to figure in a contest of this nature but

had a vital recent run under her belt to aid her cause.

Sharpened by a win in a seven-furlong handicap at the Curragh March 29, she

was always traveling strongly near the pace and was eventually let loose inside

the final quarter-mile by Pat Smullen. Opening up instantaneously, Stormfly

dictated the closing stages as Devonshire (Fast Company) fought off her old

rival Military Angel (Big Brown) for the silver medal.

"The horses are in tremendous form, but I thought she would have to step up

to win this," her rider said. "Race-fitness is a huge advantage in this ground,

but she has progressed too."

Weld suggested that the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) at Longchamp May

10 is the main target for the Australian-owned bargain buy.

One race earlier, Weld and Smullen lifted the Leopardstown Two Thousand

Guineas Trial with the highly regarded Zawraq (Shamardal). Entered in

Newmarket's Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1), Sheikh Hamdan's homebred showed he is

well up to that standard with an impressive success in a solid renewal of this

prep.

Flaunting his obvious talent when defeating Ballydoyle's Sir Isaac Newton

(Galileo) on his sole start over seven furlongs at this track in October, the

bay was the day's worst-kept secret and was switched off early with two behind

after a smart break. Produced wide by Smullen in the straight, he swept aside

Endless Drama (Lope de Vega) with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining en route to an

impressive score.

"We thought a lot of him all last year and he is very laid-back and relaxed

at home, only doing what you ask of him," his rider commented. "It was a messy

race, but he was very professional and just switched off and let the race come

to him. In my opinion, he needs to go up in trip and go the Derby route, but

that's a decision for the boss and Sheikh Hamdan."

In-form Weld echoed those thoughts afterwards.

"He's a very good colt and did what I expected," he said. "I'll discuss

things with Sheikh Hamdan, as he has a lot of horses in England entered in the

Guineas and I've always considered him more of a Derby horse. He could wait for

the Derrinstown Derby Trial ([Ire-G2] on May 10). He's the best of my

three-year-old colts and won what was in my opinion the best maiden in Europe

last year, beating the Aidan O'Brien horse that I have the highest regard for.

"He won't be three for another couple of weeks and has a lot of physical

development to come, as we haven't rushed him. He would never want it firm, but

the further he goes the better he'll get. He has a gorgeous temperament and is

the most beautiful colt in every way -- a smashing individual. He's like a

middleweight boxer, he's all action and is very powerful and strong with a lot

of speed and stamina."

France

Godolphin's Territories (Invincible Spirit) and Khalid Abdullah's Mexican

Gold (Medaglia d'Oro) impressed in contrasting ways in Sunday's two classic

trials at Longchamp.

Having started his career with a promising third behind the eventual Prix

Djebel (Fr-G3) winner Ride Like the Wind (Lope de Vega) over six furlongs at

Maisons-Laffitte in early July, Territories stayed at that trip to account for

the subsequent Prix Eclipse (Fr-G3) scorer Souvenir Delondres (Siyouni) at

Chantilly towards the end of that month. On the first of his two encounters with

Full Mast (Mizzen Mast) at this venue, the homebred wound up third in the

seven-furlong Prix la Rochette (Fr-G3) in September and was then in the same

spot before being promoted to second in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Fr-G1) over

the same trip on Arc day.

Held up early by Mickael Barzalona with one behind in Sunday's Prix de

Fontainebleau (Fr-G3), the bay was produced out wide in the stretch as the

longtime leader Karar (Invincible Spirit) struck out inside the final

quarter-mile. Always looking to have that rival's measure, Territories kicked

past with 150 meters remaining before asserting for a comfortable win to take

Andre Fabre alongside Etienne Pollet on nine renewals of this classic prep.

"He has done extremely well over the winter and won this very nicely," his

trainer said. "He will now run in either the English or French Two Thousand

Guineas ([Fr-G1] May 10) but we will wait on the other trials and Sheikh

Mohammed will make the decision."

In the Prix de la Grotte (Fr-G3), Mexican Gold translated her abundant

promise to pattern-race prowess with a last-gasp success in this vital prep for

the May 10 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1).

She already had the form of her debut success at Deauville in October well

advertised, having come home ahead of the Aga Khan's impressive recent scorer

Sayana (Galileo), with other subsequent winners behind on her 7 1/2-furlong

debut. The homebred commanded respect here as a result partnered by leading

national hunt jockey Vincent Cheminaud.

Belying his lack of experience of the flat, the 22-year-old Grand

Steeplechase de Paris- winning jockey, who had ridden over the jumps at Bordeaux

the day before, orchestrated a perfect tactical ploy on the bay, who was

initially settled worse than mid-division as Penorka (Orpen) enjoyed a clear

early lead. Threaded through on the inner as the enterprisingly ridden longtime

leader started to come back to the field in the last furlong, Mexican Gold was

switched between that rallying filly and the favorite Vedouma (Dalakhani) in the

final meters and thrust through to win with a deal of authority.

"She is a lovely filly and to win that on only her second start was a good

performance," the owner-breeder's racing manager Teddy  Grimthorpe said.

"She received a good ride and the jockey was very  cool, plus the strong

pace helped. All being well, she will return here for the Poule d'Essai des

Pouliches."

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