Lavender’s Blue In Atalanta Surprise

[Wandering Eyes]

With the 4-5 favourite Jubiloso (GB) (Shamardal) flopping, Sandown’s G3 Atalanta S. was up for grabs and it was the lightly-raced 3-year-old Lavender’s Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) who stepped up to the mark in Saturday’s contest. Coming in off a break having finished last of the 14 runners in the G1 Epsom Oaks, Benny Andersson’s homebred raced freely as she did in that May 31 Classic stalking Juddmonte’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ early. Travelling notably strongly in the straight but needing room, the 12-1 shot had just enough of a gap with a furlong remaining to push through and into the lead with 150 yards to race before readily asserting for a 1 1/2-length defeat of Duneflower (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). “She was here to have a nice experience and is a lovely filly,” jockey Jim Crowley said. “She was dropping back to a mile, but we always felt she had enough pace to cope with it and it looks like it could be her best trip. All the time, she was just filling up there and that will give her confidence so hopefully she’ll take a step forward from that.”

Trainer Amanda Perrett has a major target in mind for Lavender’s Blue now. “She travelled well and also when she won her maiden she travelled nicely. It was probably a mistake in hindsight to go for the Oaks, but we’re back in winning ways and there’s lots to look forward to. She has done nothing wrong today and she deserves her chance at Newmarket in the [Oct. 5 G1] Sun Chariot, as long as the ground is okay, because she wouldn’t want it too soft at the moment.”

Pedigree Notes

Lavender’s Blue, who had followed an impressive debut success over this trip at Newmarket Apr. 16 with a second in the 10-furlong Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial S. at Newbury May 18, is unlikely to ever try the mile-and-a-half trip of the Oaks again having pulled too hard in front there. Interestingly, her dam Beatrice Aurore (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was sixth in that Epsom Classic on her sole try at the trip and achieved her two black-type wins over nine and 10 furlongs in the Listed Height of Fashion S. and G3 Prix Chloe. Also runner-up in the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio, she is out of the Listed Prix Belle de Nuit winner Mondschein (GB) (Rainbow Quest) from the family of the G2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano scorer Highdown (Ire) (Selkirk). Her 2-year-old colt is the unraced Moomba (Ire) (Australia {GB}), while she also has a yearling colt by Harzand (Ire) and a filly foal by Australia.

Saturday, Sandown, Britain
BETWAY ATALANTA S.-G3, £70,000, Sandown, 8-31, 3yo/up, f, 8fT, 1:42.16, g/f.
1–LAVENDER’S BLUE (IRE), 124, f, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Beatrice Aurore (Ire) (GSW-Fr, SW & GSP-Eng, G1SP-Ity, GSP-Ire, Nor & Tur, $351,751), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mondschein (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: River Spey (GB), by Mill Reef
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Benny Andersson; B-Chess Racing (IRE); T-Amanda Perrett; J-Jim Crowley. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, $75,961. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Duneflower (Ire), 124, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Desert Blossom (Ire), by Shamardal. O-HRH Princess Haya of Jordan; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-John Gosden. £15,050.
3–Look Around (GB), 124, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–Magic America, by High Yield. O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £7,532.
Margins: 1HF, NK, HD. Odds: 12.00, 3.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Solar Gold (Ire), Sh Boom (GB), Exhort (GB), Jubiloso (GB), Red Starlight (GB). Scratched: Brassica (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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