Ylang Ylang strengthens Classic claims with Leopardstown win

Filly remains unbeaten and big targets beckon.

Ylang Ylang strengthened her position as favourite for next year’s fillies’ Classics with a front-running victory in the Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown.

The Frankel filly shot to the head of ante-post lists for both the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks after dominating her rivals on her Curragh debut late last month and she was a 1-4 shot to double her tally in this seven-furlong Group Three.

Sent straight to the lead by Ryan Moore, Ylang Ylang appeared to have matters in hand throughout and was always doing enough to resist the late challenge of Vespertilio by a length and a half.

Paddy Power reacted to the performance by cutting the Aidan O’Brien-trained winner to 7-1 from 8-1 for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, while she is 11-2 for the Oaks at Epsom.

Ylang Ylang and Ryan Moore in the Leopardstown winner's enclosure
Ylang Ylang and Ryan Moore in the Leopardstown winner’s enclosure (Brian Lawless/PA)

O’Brien said: “We’re delighted and Ryan was very happy with her, he said she ran straight through the line. He said he felt that the ground was a little bit deep for her, she’s a very low mover, but he was very happy with her.

“He said she’s ready to take her time and teach her now. We think if everything is well we’ll go to the Debutante before maybe going to the Moyglare and sit in and take our time with her.

“She’s very genuine, tries very hard and wears her heart on her sleeve. Natural is a good way to describe her.”

Moore repeated the forceful tactics aboard Henry Adams (evens favourite) to complete a quickfire Group Three double for the Ballydoyle team in the following Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes.

O’Brien said: “Ryan gave him a great ride, he’s a tough hardy horse. He’s a No Nay Never and has plenty of speed as well, he’s laidback. A big mature horse.

“I think he’ll go on to the Futurity, he’ll probably end up there with Henry Longfellow. He’s lovely because he’s happy to go forward.”

The all-conquering O’Brien-Moore partnership had earlier landed the opening Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden with 2-1 joint-favourite Brilliant.

Brilliant (right) won the opening race at Leopardstown
Brilliant (right) won the opening race at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)

“Ryan was delighted with her and said to ride her more patiently the next day,” said the trainer.

“We’ll go for something like the Debutante and ride her patiently rather than making use of her, he said he thought she would be better ridden that way.”

However, there was no joy for O’Brien’s Salt Lake City in the Romanised Minstrel Stakes as Ger Lyons’ Zarinsk (11-5 favourite) recorded her third victory of the season.

A winner of the Brownstown Stakes in good style most recently, she confirmed her earlier form over Dermot Weld’s Tarawa who again gave chase in vain and had to settle for third this time, with Honey Girl splitting the pair.

The winner was not declared for the race originally at the Curragh on Sunday, which was abandoned. Lyons also saddled the fourth Power Under Me and said: “The two of them ran a blinder but she’s been a queen all season,

“We sent her to France (for the Prix de Sandringham), and of the team I was probably the one most negative about the trip, and it turned her inside out. You can see her today in the ring, she looks like a mare now, she’s after maturing lovely and you’d nearly say she’s still improving.

“I live my life by ‘what’s meant for you won’t pass you’ and they switched it. Zarinsk’s head poked up again and I’d said ‘well it’s made for her around here’.

Zarinsk won at Leopardstown for the third time in the Romanised Minstrel Stakes
Zarinsk won at Leopardstown for the third time in the Romanised Minstrel Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA)

Lyons is now eyeing a further return to the Dublin track for the Juddmonte-owned filly and a tilt at the Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend in September, while he is also keep to get Zarinsk’s passport stamped, with a trip to the USA later in the year also up for discussion

“It leaves us a lovely option now with the Matron, Champions Weekend is huge,” added Lyons.

“Power Under Me can go for the Boomerang, ground being right and this rain doesn’t look like it’s going to stop, and Zarinsk can go for the Matron. We have a free shot at it now which is fantastic.

He went on: “I did say to Barry (Mahon, racing manager) when we’re just finding ourselves that tad short on this side we can win our Grade One over there (America).

“It’s up there for discussion and Barry will talk to the owners and they’ll come up with a plan. I would say she’s made for that but the only thing is that I like her with juice in the ground and I couldn’t see her handling fast American ground.”

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