Fallen Angel bounced back from Newmarket disappointment to provide trainer Karl Burke with a second Classic success in the space of an hour in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
A Group One winner at the Kildare track in last season’s Moyglare Stud Stakes, the daughter of Too Darn Hot finished only eighth as favourite for the 1000 Guineas three weeks ago, but showed her true colours on Irish soil just 45 minutes after stablemate Darnation had won the German 1000 Guineas in Dusseldorf.
Fallen Angel was the 11/4 market leader to reward those who kept the faith and after a smart start raced on the pace from the off in the hands of Danny Tudhope.
The challengers were stacked up in behind entering the final three furlongs, but Burke’s grey found another gear once asked to do so and was well on top as she passed the post with two and three-quarter lengths in hand over the previously unbeaten A Lilac Rolla, with Opera Singer also running with credit in third on her first start since her scintillating display in the Prix Marcel Boussac in October.
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“I was confident we would see a different filly from Newmarket. I was pleased when the rain came to be fair. She just keeps galloping and stays very, very well,” said Tudhope.
“She is very versatile ground wise and takes everything that comes in her stride.”
Burke said: “She showed last year that she’s top-class. Obviously, we were disappointed with the Guineas, but I find it hard with three-year-olds – you just don’t know where you are with them.
“We sent her down to Newmarket fit and she didn’t blow that much afterwards. The ground maybe was a bit quick on the undulations, but that’s looking for excuses – we were beaten fair and square on the day.
“I knew coming out of the Guineas coming into this race that mentally she was in the right place. She just sparked up, especially in the last week or 10 days, and physically she looked fantastic.”
Sky Bet reacted by cutting Fallen Angel to 4/1 (joint-favourite alongside Elmalka) from 12/1 for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot but she is not certain to line up in Berkshire next month.
On claiming his second Classic win of the day and third overall after Laurens’ victory in the 2018 French Oaks, the trainer added: “Amazing, that doesn’t happen very often. This is what we work for.
“I had cancer late last year and an operation and a bit of chemotherapy. I finish the chemo in December and since then it’s been back to work, we keep going and hopefully we’re all square.
“I never took a backwards step, you have to face what’s happening to you and worse things happen to a lot of other people, so you’ve just got to get on with it.
“I don’t know (about Royal Ascot), we’ll have to have that discussion. We’ve got the option of the French Oaks as well and as you can see she stays very well. We’ll enjoy today and worry about that later.”
Of Darnation, Burke said: “I’m delighted with her. I was hopeful today, and she will improve again. We were very lucky that she got her ground. It was heavy.
“I haven’t seen the race, but Adrie de Vries is a master around Dusseldorf and I’m told he rode a great race. He’s had four rides for me, two Group One winners and a Group Three before today and now a Group Two.
“It’s been a great day.”
O’Brien hails ‘incredible run’
Aidan O’Brien was thrilled with Opera Singer’s comeback effort and an appearance at Royal Ascot is now on her agenda.
“I was delighted with her, I couldn’t believe she ran so well. She was never away, only in full work less than a month,” he said.
“It was an incredible run really. I was very nervous running her, hoping that she wouldn’t get too tired, but she has run some race.
“We were hoping to run with a view to coming back for the Coronation Stakes so that’s where she’ll go now, but there could be massive improvement in her.”
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