Hanalia

The other Aga Khan filly, Hanalia, was the other filly to take out of the Snow Fairy Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday. Slowly away, she raced a bit lethargically early on, and she was well back in the field. Ben Coen actually had to ride her along for a few strides just to get her to latch onto the back of the field. Still sixth of the seven runners as they turned for home, she had to engineer some racing room for herself between Wingspan and Sakti as Tarawa set sail for home up front. She didn’t show an electric turn of foot, but she stuck to her task well, just getting up to nut Wingspan for the runner-up spot, just over a length behind the winner.

A good winner of the Naas Oaks Trial in June over 10 and a half furlongs in June, Johnny Murtagh’s filly ran better in the Irish Oaks next time than her finishing position in sixth place suggests. She was dropping in trip significantly here, from 12 furlongs to nine furlongs, and it may have been too sharp a test for her in a race in which it was difficult to come from the rear. This was just her fifth run though, so there should be much more to come and, by Sea The Stars and from a good Aga Khan family, she should appreciate a step back up to 10 or 11 furlongs. The Blandford Stakes could be ideal for her.

The Curragh, 31^st August 2024