18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Pretty Gorgeous living up to her looks and price tag

Sat 22nd Aug 2020, 17:02

          Pretty Gorgeous and Shane Crosse Pretty Gorgeous and Shane Crosse
© Photo Healy Racing

The Group 2 A.R.M. Holding Debutante Stakes was won by Pretty Gorgeous (3/1) ridden by Shane Crosse.

The Lawman filly travelled well tracking the leaders before hitting the front over a furlong from home.

She ran on strongly to defeat the 7/4 favourite Shale by two and a half lengths, with Mother Earth ( 5/1), for whom a couple of gaps didn’t open, the same distance further away in third.

The winner had been an impressive debut winner at Bellewstown before finishing runner-up to Shale on much quicker ground in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown earlier this month.

Winning trainer Joseph O’Brien said: “She's a very good filly. We were a bit worried about the ground today but she obviously handled it. Being by Lawman we thought that gave her a chance.

“We felt that she'd definitely get closer to Donnacha's filly after her run in Leopardstown, as we thought the Curragh would be more suitable for us.

“We were looking for an easy spot for her debut first time at Bellewstown, and she qualified for that race, but as it turned out it actually was quite a good race.

“The Moyglare looks the logical next step. She has proven that she's versatile ground-wise.

“I thought Shane gave her a lovely cool ride today, it was a lovely confident ride.

“She's a big strong lady. She cost a good few quid as a yearling (£525,000 at Tattersalls UK ) but she was an outstanding physical specimen at the sales. The sky is the limit for her.”

Paddy Power introduced Pretty Gorgeous as a 14/1 chance for next year's 1,000 Guineas.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
3/1
Tote €4.90 €1.50
2nd
2.5L
7/4Fav
€1.10
3rd
2.5L
5/1
€1.60
4th
0.75L
9/2
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.