Mohawk In Command In The Meld

[Wandering Eyes]

Freshened up since running seventh in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, Mohawk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) returned in rude health at Leopardstown on Thursday to stamp his class on the G3 Meld S. Saddled with a five-pound penalty as a result of his success in Newmarket’s G2 Royal Lodge S. in September, the 9-4 favourite was comfortable playing the waiting game under Donnacha O’Brien with two behind early. Sweeping wide to gain control with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, the bay was soon in the clear as fellow 3-year-old Up Helly Aa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) took up game pursuit and there was two lengths between them at the finish.

“Things went smooth and when I asked, he quickened and put it to bed well,” the winning rider said. “He’s a high-class horse whose form is just underneath Group 1 level, but he’s run well in them and is solid. He deserves a lot of credit.”

Mohawk was winning a race that has proven tough for the Classic generation, which is not a great surprise given that his juvenile form also featured a third in the G2 Futurity S. and fourth in the G1 Vincent O’Brien National S. at The Curragh. Second to Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) giving him five pounds in Chester’s Listed Dee S. on May 9, he had run eighth in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas back at The Curragh on May 25 before his fair effort from a wide draw in the June 2 Chantilly Classic.

Pedigree Notes
The dam Empowering (Ire) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) was effective at up to a mile, winning the seven-furlong G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial at this venue and the Listed Sweet Mimosa S. over six and finishing runner-up in the G3 Phoenix Sprint S. She is a daughter of Blue Cloud (Ire) (Nashwan), a half-sister to the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. hero Bigstone (Ire) (Last Tycoon {Ire}) who captured the Listed Prix Imprudence and was third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac. She also threw the listed-placed Blue Angel (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) who in turn produced another Dee S. winner in Viren’s Army (Ire) (Twirling Candy). The family features a clutch of notable North American graded-stakes winners in Keep Quiet (Fr) (Elusive City), Little Treasure (Fr) (Night Shift), More Chocolate (Malibu Moon) and Rhythm of Light (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) and it could be that Mohawk adds to that tally before the year is out.

Thursday, Leopardstown, Ireland
MELD S.-G3, €60,000, Leopardstown, 7-18, 3yo/up, 9fT, 1:54.98, g/f.
1–MOHAWK (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Empowering (Ire) (GSW-Ire, $151,953),
by Encosta de Lago (Aus)
2nd Dam: Blue Cloud (Ire), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Batave, by Posse
O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor;
B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Donnacha
O’Brien. €35,400. Lifetime Record: 10-3-1-1, $201,545. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
B+.
2–Up Helly Aa (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Fiesolana (Ire), by
Aussie Rules. O-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd; B-Flaxman Stables
Ireland Ltd. (IRE); T-Willie McCreery. €11,400.
3–Ancient Spirit (Ger), 140, c, 4, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Assisi
(Ger), by Galileo (Ire). O-Zhang Yuesheng; T-Jim Bolger.
€5,400.
Margins: 2, 1HF, 2HF. Odds: 2.25, 3.50, 14.00.
Also Ran: Zihba (Ire), Pincheck (Ire), Tinandali (Ire), Zabriskie (Ire). Scratched: Cape of Good Hope (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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