Pretty Polly Stakes 2011 - Misty For Me defeats favourite Midday to win, Aidan O’Brien improves filly
A clean and dominant victory for Aidan O’Brien trained, Misty For Me, in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on 25 June, is the three-year old bay filly’s second win from four starts.
Running on soft ground it took Misty For Me 2 minutes and 13.37 seconds to complete the 1 ¼ miles distance.
Previously, Misty For Me landed the Irish Group One Etihad Airways Irish One Thousand Guineas in May and finished fifth in the Investec Epsom Derby.
The Galileo filly was up against older females for the first time and she impressed the crowd by going all out in the race and winning by an overwhelming margin of six lengths. She cruised home in style for owners, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and, Mrs. John Magnier.
It clearly showed during the race that a lot has been learned from the Epsom Derby, and, trainer, Aidan O’Brien’s success, shows that he doesn’t make the same mistake too often. It went really smooth for jockey, Seamie Heffernan, as well.
Sent in at 100-to-30, Misty For Me, left the favourite, Midday, early in the race with Chrysanthemum, four and a half lengths, back in third.
Throughout the race, Misty For Me, wasn’t seriously challenged by any horse and she was dominant on the field in every aspect of the race. Even the impressive, Snow Fairy, could have found it difficult to compete against her on that day, had she stayed in the race but was withdrawn on 24 June.
Midday created a lot of hype before the race and was expected to win it easy but she was rightly put in her place by the three-year old and went on to suffer the heaviest defeat of her career.
O’Brien’s filly proved to be strong for other fillies in the race and even the champion, Midday, found it hard to compete even though she threw a late challenge but it wasn’t near enough to bother Heffernan and Misty For Me.
The win gave Misty For Me an automatic start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Her two year old career was impressive when she captured two Group 1 races and went on to win five out of nine starts.
Sir Henry Cecil admitted himself that Misty For Me was too good for his filly, Midday, and that she scooted away with pace and never looked weak at any stage of the race.
Aidan O’Brien has a tricky few weeks where he has to decide whether to stay with Misty For Me, or, go with Wonder of Wonders for the Irish Group 1 Darley Irish Oaks. Wonder of Wonders recently finished second after Dancing Rain in the Epsom Derby on 3 June.
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