Frankel filly Lake Victoria sailed through an undefeated juvenile season with five straight wins including three at G1 level before tasting defeat for the first time when unplaced in the Group I Newmarket 1000 Guineas, but she rebounded in spectacular fashion on a day when her sire posted a G1 double.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Lake Victoria was back to her best overnight taking the Group I Irish 1000 Guineas (1m) at The Curragh by two and a half lengths in a dominant display.
“Lake Victoria was very good. She quickened up very well. She's a very smart filly. She's very good, she'll be very hard for the fillies to handle. We'll see what she does the next day, if she keeps building on it. I don't think we've got to the bottom of her so hopefully she can keep progressing,” said Ryan Moore.
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Lake Victoria has won six of seven starts and is a three-quarter sister to Group II placed Bluegrass being the best of three winners from dual Group I winning sprinter Quiet Reflection, a daughter of speed sire Showcasing.
Royal Ascot and the Group I Coronation Stakes will be next for the star filly, who finished last year with a Breeders Cup victory in the US.
She was one of two Group I winners for Frankel in Europe on Sunday with the Aga Khan Studs bred and raced four year-old gelding Candelari winning the Group I Prix Viscomtesse Vigier (3100m) at Longchamp by three and a half lengths at the expense of the OTI Racing owned stayer Sevenna’s Knight.
Trained by Francis Henri Graffard, the lightly raced four year-old raced once at three for a win and has been progressive this year with a couple of poly track wins before a Group III placing and now a G1 win in a newly upgraded staying feature.
Candelari is a half-brother to Group II winner Candarliya and stakes-winners Canessar and Canndera being the best of five winners from Candara.
He is the 158th stakes-winner for Frankel and is his 36th Group I winner.
