Via Sistina led home a one-two for the British raiders when storming to a Group One triumph in the Yulong Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.
Trained by George Boughey, the five-year-old arrived in Ireland having seen her impressive Newmarket win over Al Husn franked at Newcastle in the Hoppings Stakes, and the mount of Jamie Spencer was sent off the 6-4 favourite to give the Saffron House handler a first Irish win.
Spencer was in no rush aboard the progressive daughter of Fastnet Rock and had Via Sistina anchored alongside fellow raider, Hughie Morrison's Stay Alert, in the early stages as Trevaunance and Above The Curve disputed matters at the head of proceedings.
There was little change in the order until the runners straightened for home, when both Ronan Whelan aboard Stay Alert and the big-race favourite began to plot a route to the front and it was Via Sistina who made the eyecatching progress when shown daylight by Spencer.
With energy to burn she was soon alongside Above The Curve disputing the lead with a furlong to run and although hanging right and causing interference to both the Rosscarbery and the eventual third Above The Curve in the process of making her challenge, she was full of running at the finish as she crossed the line with a two-length advantage over Stay Alert.
A stewards’ inquiry was called due to the interference in the aftermath, but the result remained unaltered as Spencer bagged Group One victories on successive Saturdays following last week’s shock success in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes aboard Khaadem.
The progressive Via Sistina (6-4 favourite) becomes a Group One winner in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh for trainer Gerorge Boughey and jockey Jamie Spencer. pic.twitter.com/wviBjtiqZb
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) July 1, 2023
He said: "I had a plan to jump smartly, get up behind Ryan (Moore, on Above The Curve) third or fourth. She didn't jump and my first thing was to get out and don’t get stuck down the fence. I was on about Plan E at that stage.
"She leaned in a bit early in the straight and obviously halfway down the straight, but she was much the best. I only had to give her one flick and she had her ears pricked the last furlong."
As well as a first winner in Ireland for Boughey, it was the first time Via Sistina has struck at the highest level and the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood and Newmarket’s Falmouth Stakes look possible future targets.
Delighted owner Stephen Hillen said: "It doesn't happen like that very often.
"That’s probably as fast a ground as she wants to run on. Jamie said they went really quick, he said he missed the break and was a bit far out of her ground.
"She’s that big she wears a rug for stalls entry and when you wear a rug they are always a bit slow away.
"He was a bit further back than he wanted to be, but he just said when she comes good she’s just much better than them."
On plans, he said: "She’s very versatile, I think she can go a mile to a mile and a half. She likes going in a straight line as well so she could go to the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.
"After that there is the Nassau and she’ll be in most of the big races. She’s in the Yorkshire Oaks and the International at York.
"You wouldn’t be risking her on anything with 'firm’ in it."
Stephen Hillen watches his 5,000gns bargain buy Via Sistina survive a stewards' inquiry in the Pretty Polly Stakes to send her paddock value through the stratosphere. pic.twitter.com/HR8XQp57Fd
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) July 1, 2023
Matrika (2-5F) confirmed herself as a filly of considerable talent when returning to home soil to claim the Airlie Stud Stakes in convincing fashion.
Aidan O'Brien’s daughter of No Nay Never was a course and distance winner on debut in late May and went on to be narrowly denied by Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna when second in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot on just her second start.
Despite this coming only eight days after her huge Ascot effort, Matrika proved she was a cut above her opposition in this Group Two contest.
She led those who raced on the far side with the field splitting into two groups, before stretching clear in the hands of Ryan Moore inside the final furlong, as she registered a one-and-three-quarter length victory over the keeping-on Gunzburg.
"She has a great constitution and we were very happy with her," said O’Brien.
"The first day she ran we were surprised because she’s very lazy at home, we didn’t really know what to expect but she won.
"Then she went to Ascot and ran a lovely race, but was a little green and babyish. Obviously she learned plenty from it again.
"She came out of the race, lost no weight. She doesn’t blow at all, it takes nothing out of her – she’s very natural. Ryan gave her a lovely ride.
"She’s not slow, she has plenty of speed. Obviously you’d hope that she might get seven, because she is very relaxed, but she is No Nay Never and they have a lot of natural speed and find it very easy to go very fast."
Mashhoor (6-1) was the beneficiary of a fine ride from Ben Coen as he put his race-fitness to good use and made all to claim the Paddy Power International Stakes.
Johnny Murtagh's five-year-old arrived at the Curragh in fine form having followed up a victory in a Cork handicap by securing Listed honours in the 12-furlong Orby Stakes at the Kildare track most recently.
However, he faced a stiff task dropping back to 10 furlongs for this Group Three assignment, with Joseph O’Brien’s Group One-winning Al Riffa the market leader on his return from a 293-day absence and Aidan O’Brien’s Alfred Munnings another significant runner following a layoff.
Coen was keen to make Mashhoor’s fitness and proven stamina count, and immediately sent his mount to the front as Al Riffa tracked the pace in second.
And that was how the pair remained for the rest of the contest, as Coen kept upping the pace and asking questions of those in behind.
Passing the two-furlong pole Dylan Browne McMonagle was pushing away on Al Riffa, while all the time Mashhoor just kept extending his advantage over the chasing pack and when Coen firmly put the foot down in the closing stages, the willing son of Kingman drew further clear to finish just shy of five lengths clear at the line.
Former Gaelic footballer Tommy Dowd is part of the syndicate that own the winner, and Murtagh said: "It’s really very special when Tommy Dowd comes to you in the parade ring and says 'I’m more nervous now than I was on all-Ireland day'. I said 'ah come on, sure we don’t have anything to do any more – it’s up to Ben now'.
"In fairness to the horse you have to say he has improved immensely. He picked up a little injury last year and I suppose it stood to him this year.
"He’s been very straightforward this year and the races have come for him at the right time.
"There was no pace today and I said to Ben to let him roll along. He’s a leader, he leads the string at home.
"I knew when they turned in that they weren’t going to get to him because he wouldn’t stop. He won over a mile and a half last time. It was a great ride."
