Albany Stakes |
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| (Fillies' Group 3) Ascot 14:30 £80,000 added, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1  |
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| Friday 23rd June 2017 | |
1 Different League 20/1
2 Alpha Centauri 2/1F
3 Take Me With You 20/1
20 ran NR: Time For Wine Distances: nk, 3l, ½l
Time: 1m 14.60s (slow by 2.20s)
Different League holds off Alpha Centauri to win the Albany
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"I was confident of a very good run, to win I didn't know," said Matthieu Palussiere, trainer of the filly, a 20/1 chance. "I left the race plans up to the jockey, we hoped to be in the first four or five.
"I was a little worried as she jumped out, but she has a great temperament and is very professional. After two or three furlongs I was confident - the jockey knows her well.
"Her first start was just an educational, but her performance at Angers on her second start was exceptional. We were always going to come here for this.
"She has many options now, we have a few ideas in our heads," added Matthieu Palussiere, who spent 18 years in Ireland, four with the Aga Khan Studs, four with trainer Michael Halford and rest working for himself, pre-training and also sending out 18 winners. He is now based at Maisons-Laffitte, France.
"It means everything to me, I have always wanted to win a big one in England - at Royal Ascot or Cheltenham as I have a few jumpers too," he added, before smiling: "I am supposed to be going home with my wife tonight, I am not sure we will make it now!"
The filly is owned by Theresa Marnane of Bansha House Stables in Ireland.
"We picked her up for eight grand (euros), but we couldn't sell her as a yearling - we had her in at Doncaster Sales last year but couldn't sell her. Nobody wanted her but I am glad they didn't - she's an absolute beauty," said Con Marnane, husband of Theresa.
Marnane is better known as a breeze-up consignor, selling under his Bansha House Stables banner. However, he and his wife own a number of racehorses based in France in order to take advantage of the lucrative owners' premiums.
Marnane was a little more bullish than his trainer regarding the filly's future plans.
"We'd love to put her away for the Breeders' Cup, if failing that returning after the summer for some of the autumn Group Ones," he smiled as celebrations for the Irish contingent with him got underway.
Jockey Antoine Hamelin registered his first success in Britain and at the Royal Meeting.
A delighted Hamelin said: "It was a very good performance and it is a great feeling. I love this filly and all is good for the team today. The track is good and the distance, it's great.
"It was an excellent success. I wanted to ride her in about fourth or fifth before the race to relax behind other horses but after the start, she was doing it easily and very quickly in front - she is a very good filly.
"It's amazing to win here and get my first victory at Royal Ascot. It's the best public and many people. It's perfect, a dream for me."
Albany Stakes
£80,000 added, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
20 ran
Going: Good to Firm (Watered)
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (13) | Different League (FR) 20/1 | A Hamelin 9-0 |
M Palussiere | 2 | |
| 2nd | (1) | nk | Alpha Centauri (IRE) 2/1f | C O'Donoghue 9-0 |
Mrs J Harrington | 2 |
| 3rd | (20) | 3 | Take Me With You (USA) 20/1 | G Mosse 9-0 |
J Noseda | 2 |
| 4th | (18) | ½ | Mistress Of Venice 66/1 | Jim Crowley 9-0 |
J G Given | 2 |
| 5th | (21) | ½ | Madeline (IRE) 14/1 | Andrea Atzeni 9-0 |
R Varian | 2 |
| 6th | (16) | nk | Actress (IRE) 25/1 | W M Lordan 9-0 |
A P O'Brien | 2 |
| 7th | (2) | hd | Clemmie (IRE) 7/1 | R L Moore 9-0 |
A P O'Brien | 2 |
| 8th | (5) | ½ | Snowflakes (IRE) 12/1 | J A Heffernan 9-0 |
A P O'Brien | 2 |
| 9th | (12) | 1¾ | Miss Bar Beach (IRE) 100/1 | G Lee 9-0 |
K Dalgleish | 2 |
| 10th | (3) | 1¼ | Princess Peggy (USA) 25/1 | David Flores 9-0 |
Wesley Ward | 2 |
| 11th | (4) | 1 | Black Sails 8/1 | C T Keane 9-0 |
G M Lyons | 2 |
| 12th | (14) | 1 | Fairyland (USA) 8/1 | D O'Brien 9-0 |
Wesley Ward | 2 |
| 13th | (11) | ½ | Starlight Mystery (IRE) 50/1 | S De Sousa 9-0 |
M Johnston | 2 |
| 14th | (10) | s.h | Natural (IRE) 12/1 | Oisin Murphy 9-0 |
R Hannon | 2 |
| 15th | (19) | nk | Jo's Girl (IRE) 125/1 | T J Murphy 9-0 |
J A Osborne | 2 |
| 16th | (15) | ¾ | Ertiyad 14/1 | P Cosgrave 9-0 |
W J Haggas | 2 |
| 17th | (9) | ½ | Whitefountainfairy (IRE) 40/1 | S Foley 9-0 |
Mrs J Harrington | 2 |
| 18th | (6) | 1 | Electric Landlady (IRE) 66/1 | T P Queally 9-0 |
D J Coakley | 2 |
| 19th | (8) | ½ | Summer Shamal (FR) 66/1 | O Peslier 9-0 |
F H Graffard | 2 |
| 20th | (17) | 21 | Armum (IRE) 50/1 | D C Costello 9-0 |
E A L Dunlop | 2 |
| NR | (7) | Time For Wine (IRE) | J F Egan 9-0 |
P D Evans | 2 |
PLACED HORSES IN THE ALBANY STAKES
Finishing a neck behind the winner in Friday's Albany Stakes, finishing on the far side of the track, was the Jessica Harrington-trained 2/1 favourite Alpha Centauri (Colm O'Donoghue).
Harrington said: "The other filly just got first run on her. She's never had to race that hard before, she's done everything very easily. The further she was going, the more she was putting her head down. Another couple of strides, she might have got it."
The Mastercraftsman filly's jockey O'Donoghue added: "She ran a great race."
Three lengths behind in third, leading the pack on the near side, was Jeremy Noseda's Take Me With You, owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited and bought earlier this year for £800,000.
Noseeda said: "Ï'm just infuriated by watering policies. Why are they watering this gound? Why 4mm of water last night? The whole bias of the track has changed. The watering in this country has become absurd and ridiculous. And I'm frustrated.
"I've never encouraged anyone to water the track. Watering of these racecourses has come to a point where it's absolutely ridiculous. If the Clerk of the Course, by his watering, wants to make results, then make results. But watering is changing results, it's not natural. Watering is not creating fair racing."
The Scat Daddy filly's jockey Gerald Mosse said: "She outran her odds."
