Babouche and Colin Keane account for Whistlejacket and Ryan Moore© Photo Healy Racing
Babouche maintained her unbeaten record with an impressive display in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.
The Ger Lyons-trained filly came out on top in a good battle with Aidan O’Brien’s Whistlejacket denying the Ballydoyle handler an 18th victory in the Group One showpiece.
Babouche – owned by Juddmonte, just like Lyons’ previous Phoenix winner, Siskin, who went on to Classic glory as a three-year-old – oozed class throughout, with Colin Keane seemingly always having all bases covered.
Ryan Moore tried to dictate on Whistlejacket, an impressive winner of the July Stakes at Newmarket last time out, but always looming on his inside was Babouche.
When Moore injected pace into the race, Keane was able to move up alongside effortlessly on the only filly in the race.
As Babouche was asked to put the contest to bed, she quickened up smartly and the 5-2 shot was a comfortable one-and-a-half-length winner at the line.
Lyons said: “I was more nervous before the Anglesey than today as she was quiet before the Anglesey. Before Cork she was telling us how good she was.
“She learned more here (in the Anglesey) than she did in Cork. We wondered if she was good enough today and she’s answered that in spades.
“She’ll stay over this (six-furlong) trip until she tells us otherwise. We’ll take her home and see how she is and at the minute I’d say it will be the Cheveley Park and that will be her done for the year. Colin said there is no rush to step her up at the moment, she has plenty of speed.
“These horses are hard to find, but when we find them, or lads like us find them, we can do it. The whole thing about winning Group One races is sourcing the horse.
“There is only one outfit on the planet that can source the horse consistently and that is Aidan’s, but when the rest of us get the chance we can do it.
“The fillies are definitely well ahead of the colts this year and it’s nice when they deliver.”
