A’Ali Bags the Sapphire

[Wandering Eyes]

Forced to race on his own in Sunday’s G2 Holden Plant Rentals Sapphire S. at The Curragh, Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa’s A’Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) was admirably uncomplicated as he secured a fifth group win. Coming here on the back of a first 3-year-old success in the July 5 G3 Sandown Sprint S., the even-money favourite was detached from the main field early and out on a limb under Colin Keane. Ploughing a lone furrow, he gradually reeled in the far-side runner Make a Challenge (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the last 75 yards for a length success, with Rapid Reaction (Ire) (Shamardal) 1 3/4 lengths behind in third.

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
HOLDEN PLANT RENTALS SAPPHIRE S.-G2, €80,000, Curragh, 7-19, 3yo/up, 5fT, :59.85, g/y.
1–A’ALI (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Society Rock (Ire)
1st Dam: Motion Lass (GB), by Motivator (GB)
2nd Dam: Tarneem, by Zilzal
3rd Dam: Willowy Mood, by Will Win
(£35,000 Ylg ’18 GOUKPR; £135,000 2yo ’19 GOFBRE). O-Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa; B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford; J-Colin Keane. €48,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Eng & GSW-Fr, 9-5-1-0, $300,367. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Make A Challenge (Ire), 135, g, 5, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Crinoline, by Street Cry (Ire). (£6,500 2yo ’17 GOYHIT). O-M G Hogan, Walter O’Connor & James Joseph Reilly; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Denis Hogan. €16,000.
3–Rapid Reaction (Ire), 132, m, 5, Shamardal–Bratislava (GB), by Dr Fong. O/B/T-John Grogan (IRE). €8,000.
Margins: 1, 1 3/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.00, 1.50, 33.00.
Also Ran: Punita Arora (Ire), American Lady (Ire), Southern Hills (Ire), Wheels On Fire (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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