Lillie Langtry leads procession in Coronation Stakes
Lillie Langtry defined herself as the best of three-year-old fillies over a mile this year when she won the group One Coronation Stakes.
It may not quite have been 40 days in the wilderness but Aidan O’Brien might have almost despaired of a winner this week, after so many of his runners had performed poorly earlier in the meeting, but this filly had been regarded the pick of the bunch.
Kevin Manning rode a canny race on Gile Na Greine, pinching the lead but not pushing the early pace. He had the rest of the field stacked up behind him when he kicked off the home turn but she could never get clear of Lillie Langtry.
Johhny Murtagh had been sitting quietly on the rail but then eased wide on the turn to get the perfect position for her run in the home straight and came through to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths with Jacqueline Quest two-and-a-quarter lengths away in third.
Training for the Coolmore syndicate may be a dream job but the last few days must have been taking on a nightmare element for O’Brien, a man who probably wears holes in a few carpets during a season’s pacing, which would not have been helped by the problems with this filly. She had looked very promising as a two-year-old but sustained an injury when she ran at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita in November and did not run again until finishing a close fifth in the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh last month.
“We always thought that she was a very good filly - she was a very good filly last year - but she had a little injury at the back end of the season and it is a credit to everyone for getting her back because it looked like she might never race again," O'Brien said.
“She was off the whole winter and just ready to start in the Irish Guineas, where she ran a lovely race - Johnny was delighted with her then and was looking forward to coming here with her.
“The lads at home put so much work in day in and day out so it’s a relief for everyone. It’s a privilege to be a part of the effort so on the whole it’s a relief that we have done this for the lads really - we’re delighted for them.
“Johnny gave her a lovely ride today and he produced her lovely. She quickened really well and showed what she can do. We are delighted - you always dream of these things happening but it doesn’t always work out that way.
“She has the option of stepping up to a mile and a quarter - the Pretty Polly or the Nassau Stakes - so I think they are two options but we have to sit down and talk as to whether she stays at a mile for something like the Sussex Stakes or steps up to a mile and a quarter.
At halfway Murtagh was looking forward at the back of several horses but he was not worried. “Perfect run. Fourth or fifth, on the inside, saved ground round the bend, came out in the straight. You need to be travelling round here and you need good horses and she’s a champion. I thought she was by far our best filly last year. When we were going to America I was telling Aidan how far we were going to win the Breeders’ Cup by.
“That didn’t happen but thankfully she came back. She’s a great mind, she came back well in the Irish Guineas and stepped up a lot in her work at home – and i thought she’d do something like this today. ”
Murtagh, who rode two winners on the card, commented: “Coming into this week I felt the horses would all run well. You just need that little bit of luck and thankfully we got it today. I always thought Lillie Langtry was the best filly last year. She’s got good heart, great ability and plenty of speed. She was finishing well in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and maybe if I’d been a bit more aggressive at the Curragh she might have won.
“That was a very good performance today and it rode like a good race so I’d say it was a pretty strong Coronation Stakes.”
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