Amazing Maria continued her remarkable summer resurgence on Sunday when taking the Group One Prix Rothschild at Deauville under a confident ride from leading French jockey Olivier Peslier.
The Sir Robert Ogden-owned four-year-old looked to have a race on her hands as Ervedya, the 4-5 favourite, appeared to be going the better under Christophe Soumillon, but when push came to shove approaching the final furlong it was the David O’Meara-trained runner that showed the greater turn of foot and won comfortably by a length and a quarter.
The filly joined the Nawton-based trainer only this season, having begun her career in Newmarket as a two-year-old with Ed Dunlop, for whom she was successful at Group Three level. Her Classic campaign proved hugely disappointing as she beat only six of the 41 rivals she raced against in three races. A change of scenery was then called for by her owner.
The daughter of Mastercraftsman not only recaptured the level of her juvenile form but surpassed it when springing a 25-1 shock in the Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The only people, apart from connections, to cheer her home at the Berkshire track were the bookmakers.
O’Meara raised her to Group One level at Newmarket’s July meeting the following month, a move she took in her stride to beat Euro Charline in the Falmouth Stakes. But it was Sunday’s performance that has stamped her as arguably the top miler of her sex in Europe, with the defeat of the Aga Khan’s hitherto unbeaten French 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes heroine Ervedya.
O’Meara, a former jump jockey who has rapidly made a name for himself as a Flat trainer, described her performance at the French seaside track as “unbelievable”. He enthused: “It’s brilliant, she is obviously a very good filly. There was probably some doubt about whether she was truly a Group One filly after Royal Ascot, but she’s done it again twice since then and you’d have to say she’s among the best fillies in Europe now.”
Peslier, who was riding her for the first time, was given no specific instructions by O’Meara. The trainer explained: “Today there was no real plan going out. Olivier knows Deauville much better than me, I’ve never had a runner here before. I just told him to go out and try and win.”
Karl Burke’s Odeliz fared the best of the other English raiders coming home in fourth.
Amazing Maria, who started at odds of 11-2, could now bid for a third straight success at the top level on 12 September in the Coolmore Mastercraftsman Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, for which she has an entry.
O’Meara was less positive about a trip to Ireland saying: “I don’t know where we’ll go yet, but that could be an option. The races plan themselves for fillies like this.”There was further British success abroad on Sunday when Baraweez, trained by Brian Ellison, took the Ahonoora Handicap at the Galway Festival for a second successive year.
The 7-4 favourite was ridden by Donnacha O’Brien, a son of champion Irish trainer Aidan, and was given a confident ride coming wide into the straight to make his winning challenge. Ellison, who admitted his charge had been lame and came sound only on the morning of the race, said: “It’s horses for courses.”
