Lake Victoria (far-side) seen in winning action at the Curragh© Photo Healy Racing
Lake Victoria confirmed the promise of her debut success to give Aidan O’Brien a first victory in the JenningsBet Sweet Solera Stakes.
The Group Three event was one of the few races not to appear on the Ballydoyle handler’s CV, but that all changed once the 11-8 favourite graced Newmarket’s July course to produce a display that hints at even better things to come.
With Ryan Moore required at the Curragh, former Ballydoyle apprentice Sean Levey came in for the spare ride aboard the talented daughter of Frankel – who is out of Commonwealth Cup scorer Quiet Reflection.
Keen away from the stalls, Levey was content to go forward on the market leader, who was still travelling powerfully entering the final quarter-mile and showed her class when it mattered to come home two lengths clear of Charlie Appleby’s 2-1 second-favourite Mountain Breeze.
Gemma Tutty’s York scorer Elsie’s Ruan was a length further back in third having punched above her weight on just her second start.
Levey was impressed with his mount and said: “She’s not short of speed, but at the same time she stayed that seven (furlongs) strong I thought.
“Just looking at the screen going across the line and just catching a glimpse of her, she looked and felt decent to be fair. I think she will be a nice filly.”
O’Brien appears blessed with some talented fillies this year with both Bedtime Story and Fairy Godmother high in the betting for next season’s Classics, but Lake Victoria is well worth her place in the discussion, with Paddy Power going 12-1 from 16s for next year’s 1000 Guineas and 20-1 from 25s for the Oaks.
Levey continued: “She’s a quality filly and on the back of that, it’ll be interesting to see what they do next.
“She’s a strong filly with plenty of scope and there’s no doubt she will improve. There’s plenty of speed in the pedigree and on the back of that I think there will be plenty of options.
“If you look at the pedigrees throughout today alone, at the Curragh and also here, they’re very good pedigrees, very nice horses and she’s obviously up there with the rest of them.”
Levey has starred this season aboard crack miler Rosallion, but was thrilled for the chance to revisit his early days and ride for O’Brien on the big stage, registering his biggest UK success in the famous Coolmore silks of Michael Tabor.
Levey added: “It’s been a long time since I rode a winner in these silks and it’s nice to have them back on – they make me look younger when I look at my reflection.
“I was very privileged and they were very good to me when I was apprenticed to them and I’ve had a good time of things since I moved over here.
“I’ve always stepped in for the odd spare here and there, but it’s nice to be given the opportunity to ride a good horse like that and win a nice race for them again.”
The victory was also notable for the winner’s sire, as the 100th Group/Graded triumph for Frankel as a stallion – putting him ahead of Danehill, Deep Impact, Galileo and Dubawi in reaching that landmark.
