Wedding Vow could eye U.S. target; Dariyan intercepts War Dispatch

Wedding Vow could eye U.S. target; Dariyan intercepts War

Dispatch

At the Curragh on Sunday, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Wedding Vow (Galileo)

broke her maiden by defeating her elders in the Kilboy Estate (Ire-G2).

Second in the Victor McCalmont Memorial S. over an extended nine furlongs at

Gowran Park April 26, Wedding Vow looked ill at ease on Lingfield's undulations

when third in the Oaks Trial there May 9 before finishing seventh in the

Ribblesdale S. (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot June 18.

Held up in mid-division early tight against the fence, the bay swung wide for

her challenge and after gaining the lead with 200 yards remaining asserted for a

two-length victory over Brooch (Empire Maker).

"She had nice form earlier in the year, but was too keen in Ascot over a mile

and a half with the blinkers on," Joseph O'Brien said. "Back in trip today she

settled. There wasn't much pace on and in fairness to her, she quickened up

really good.

"We could think about races in America for her or the Matron (Ire-G1) or

something like that. A mile or a mile and a quarter is probably her trip."

Also scoring a notable win over older horses was the front-running Home of

the Brave (Starspangledbanner), who rolled by 3 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong

The Minstrel (Ire-G3). Too far gone for elder statesman Gordon Lord Byron

(Byron) to catch, the sophomore gave trainer Hugo Palmer another coup at the

Curragh, following Covert Love's (Azamour) upset in Saturday's Irish Oaks

(Ire-G1).

Formidable from the front when winning Newmarket's European Free H. over this

trip April 15, Home of the Brave was unable to last the mile of the Two Thousand

Guineas (Eng-G1) back there but was far from disgraced when sixth in the May 2

classic. Beaten just over six lengths when in the same position in Royal Ascot's

Commonwealth Cup (Eng-G1) over six furlongs June 19, the chestnut returned to

his ideal trip to lay waste to some accomplished home-trained specialists.

Sent straight to the lead by James Doyle, he was always in complete command

en route to bringing up an impressive pattern-race double at this meeting for

Palmer.

"I thought he'd win, but I didn't quite think he'd win like that," the

conditioner said. "He's a very immature horse and that's why he was so lightly

raced at two. He always showed he was a horse with amazing speed from Christmas

as a yearling. He was terrifyingly quick.

"Andrea, my head girl, has been a huge part in his upbringing teaching him to

settle. He did that perfectly today. He went down like a lamb, came back like a

lamb and quickened away from them. The Hungerford S. ([Eng-G2] at Newbury August

15) would look the obvious next target. There is the Prix

Maurice de Gheest, but that might be his Group 1 for next year. I was impressed

with how he saw out the seven and wouldn't rule out returning to a mile."

France

Successful in two conditions races over 10 and 12 furlongs at Saint-Cloud May

5 and May 29, Dariyan (Shamardal) was fourth behind the subsequent Grand Prix de

Paris (Fr-G1) winner Erupt (Dubawi) in the Prix du Lys (Fr-G3) over the latter

trip at Chantilly last time June 14. The Aga Khan homebred gave a further

compliment to Erupt by capturing Sunday's Prix Eugene Adam (Fr-G2) when cutting

back to 10 furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte.

Anchored in the slipstream of the leader War Dispatch (War Front) throughout

the early stages, the bay traveled easily off the soft fractions and when angled

wide produced a telling surge of acceleration to overwhelm that rival in the

last 75 meters.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com