Fancy Blue
| Fancy Blue | |
|---|---|
| (2020) |
Fancy Blue (foaled 2 February 2017) is an Irish
Staffordstown Stud Stakes. In the following year she finished second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before winning the Prix de Diane and Nassau Stakes
.
Background
Fancy Blue is a bay filly with a white
Susan Magnier and Derrick Smith. Like many Coolmore horses she was sent into training with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle
.
She was from the ninth crop of foals sired by Deep Impact, who was the
Tokyo Yushun, Tenno Sho, Arima Kinen and Japan Cup. Deep Impact's other progeny include Gentildonna, Harp Star, Kizuna, A Shin Hikari, Marialite and Saxon Warrior.[2] Fancy Blue's dam Chenchikova showed modest racing ability, winning a maiden race on her debut but failing to win in five subsequent starts,[3] but did better as a broodmare, producing several other winners including Smuggler's Cove (Star Appeal Stakes) and Casterton (Prix Lord Seymour). She was a full-sister to High Chaparral.[4]
Racing career
2019: two-year-old season
Fancy Blue made her racecourse debut in a
Listed Staffordstown Stud Stakes over one mile on soft ground at the Curragh and started the 4/1 third choice in the betting behind A New Dawn (runner-up in the Weld Park Stakes) and Auxilia. With Seamie Heffernan in the saddle she started slowly but produced a sustained run from the rear of the field in the last quarter mile to win by a head from A New Dawn after taking the lead in the final strides.[6] After the race Aidan O'Brien admitted that Donnacha O'Brien had been handling the filly at Longfield stable, near Goold's Cross, County Tipperary and added "She's a quality filly and Seamus gave her a lovely ride".[7]
When Donnacha O'Brien retired from riding at the age of 21 in November 2019, Fancy Blue was one of the horses to join his training stable at Longfield.[8]
2020: three-year-old season
The flat racing season in Ireland was disrupted by the
Fairyhouse said "I always knew she was a very good filly and we always thought the step up in trip would suit her. It definitely did. Pierre-Charles is a very good rider and I told him beforehand he should do what he wants. There was no pace early so he went forward on her and sat upsides the leader. It was exactly what I would have liked him to do. She quickened up well and stuck at it. The home straight felt like a lifetime".[11]
Twenty-five days after her victory in France, Fancy Blue was partnered by
Mackinnon Stakes) in a seven-runner field which also included Nazeef and Deirdre. She settled in second place behind the front-running Magic Wand before taking the lead a furlong out and held off the challenge of the 20/1 outsider One Voice to win by a neck.[12] Ryan Moore said "She's still a little bit babyish and possibly running downhill and the quick ground wasn't ideal for her, but she's very genuine. She has a great attitude" while Donnacha O'Brien, who was winning his first race in England commented "We were very happy with her coming into the race. Her work had been really good, she was in fantastic form and everything had gone perfectly to plan, so we were full of confidence".[13]
On 12 September Fancy Blue started 9/4 favourite for the Matron Stakes over one mile at the Leopardstown Racecourse in which she was again partnered by Moore. After racing towards the rear of the eleven-runner field she made steady progress in the straight but never looked likely to win and finished third behind Champers Elysees and Peaceful.[14]
Pedigree
| Sire Deep Impact (JPN) 2002 |
Sunday Silence (USA) 1986 |
Halo | Hail to Reason
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmah | |||
| Wishing Well | Understanding | ||
| Mountain Flower | |||
| Wind in Her Hair (IRE) 1991 |
Alzao (USA) | Lyphard | |
| Lady Rebecca (GB) | |||
| Burghclere (GB) | Busted | ||
| Highclere | |||
| Dam Chenchikova (IRE) 2003 |
Sadler's Wells (USA) 1981 |
Northern Dancer (CAN) | Nearctic |
| Natalma (USA) | |||
| Fairy Bridge | Bold Reason | ||
| Special | |||
| Kasora (IRE) 1993 |
Darshaan (GB) | Shirley Heights | |
| Delsy (FR) | |||
| Kozana (GB) | Kris | ||
| Koblenza (FR) (Family: 1-n)[4] |
References
- ^ a b "Fancy Blue pedigree". Equineline.
- ^ "Deep Impact – Stud Record". Racing Post.
- ^ "Chenchikova Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
- ^ a b "Chelandry – Family 1-n". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
- ^ "Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden result". Racing Post. 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Staffordstown Stud Stakes result". Racing Post. 13 October 2019.
- ^ Graham, Michael (13 October 2019). "Fancy Blue spearheads O'Brien treble". Irish Racing.
- ^ Jennings, David (25 November 2019). "Donnacha O'Brien quits the saddle to focus on training career". Racing Post.
- ^ "Irish 1000 Guineas result". Racing Post. 13 June 2020.
- ^ "Prix de Diane result". Racing Post. 5 July 2020.
- ^ Burton, Scott (5 July 2020). "Fancy Blue Brings Home the Win in Prix de Diane". The Blood-Horse.
- ^ "Nassau Stakes result". Racing Post. 30 July 2020.
- ^ "Fancy Blue leads home an Irish 1-2 in the Nassau Stakes". 30 July 2020 – via RTÉ.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Matron Stakes result". Racing Post. 12 September 2020.