Lush Lashes
December 12th 2008 07:11
Another top prospect in the Hong Kong Cup is the champion Irish filly Lush Lashes.
Unlike her highly rated male rivals, Viva Pataca and Eagle Mountain, Lush Lashes is running in the Hong Kong Cup at the end of a very long campaign.
This will be the first time that the Jim Bolger trained Galileo filly will compete against the males. It will be a remarkable effort from this filly - and training performance from Bolger - if she is to be successful in the Hong Kong Cup. Bolger and her jockey Kevin Manning won the Hong Kong Cup previously with Alexander Goldrun in 2004. A win in Hong Kong by Lush Lashes would cap off a brilliant year in 2008 for Bolger and Manning. Lush Lashes has three Group One victories this season - the same tally as shared by stablemate New Approach - but she has the opportunity on Sunday to win her fourth Group One of the year (but it should be noted that Lush Lashes should almost certainly have a fourth Group One win already. Lush Lashes should have added the Group One Nassau Stakes to her tally at Goodwood in July. Her jockey, Kevin Manning, was constantly denied a clear run - and then lost his reins yards from the post - when she finished fast to be beaten a head by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Halfway To Heaven).
Lush Lashes started only once as a 2 year old, winning on debut at the Curragh in the Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Fillies Million. She defeated her 21 rivals by 1 1/2 lengths.
After a long spell she would resume again for her 3 year old campaign at the end of March. This second preparation has taken her into the premier races for fillies and mares and has included 9 race starts. When she competes in the Hong Kong Cup on Sunday it will be her 10th start of this (only her 2nd) campaign. Both Viva Pataca and Eagle Mountain will be having only their 3rd runs of their current campaigns. It will take a very special filly to be competitive against her well performed and experienced male rivals.
Along the way to Hong Kong Lush Lashes has already won three Group One events:
The Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot over 1 mile.
The Darley Yorkshire Oaks at Newmarket over 1 1/2 miles.
The Coolmore Fuschaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes at Leopardstown over 1 mile.
"I love travelling to the Far East and bonding with our friends in Hong Kong. Lush Lashes falls into the same category as Alexander Goldrun and it is time to win the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup again. It is an ideal race and has been an objective all season."
"Lush Lashes was badly struck into at the start of the Prix de l'Opera on Arc Day at the beginning of October. Her cannon bone was severely cut - nasty enough to reveal the bone and it took her a month to get over it. In the end, she did very well to finish second to Lady Marian at Longchamp that day."
"She is fine now and in good form. She has travelled well to Hong Kong and I hope she will settle in and there will be no hitches next week.
"I think we have a pound or two in hand of the main opposition, last year's runner up Viva Pataca and Eagle Mountain."
'I'm not sure if it's that much of a step up - she has been competing in very good company all year. I am just hoping she can run to her best form and, if she does, she won't be too far away at the finish. It has been a good year and I will be happy to finish on a high note.”
“She seems very well and we are hopeful she will run up to her best form. I won't be saying anything to Kevin in terms of tactics, I will leave it up to him. There isn't much point in having any preconceived ideas because so many things can change. He has been in that situation before so I think he can handle it.” - Jim Bolger.
Lush Lashes winning the Yorkshire Oaks:
Lush Lashes
Unlike her highly rated male rivals, Viva Pataca and Eagle Mountain, Lush Lashes is running in the Hong Kong Cup at the end of a very long campaign.
This will be the first time that the Jim Bolger trained Galileo filly will compete against the males. It will be a remarkable effort from this filly - and training performance from Bolger - if she is to be successful in the Hong Kong Cup. Bolger and her jockey Kevin Manning won the Hong Kong Cup previously with Alexander Goldrun in 2004. A win in Hong Kong by Lush Lashes would cap off a brilliant year in 2008 for Bolger and Manning. Lush Lashes has three Group One victories this season - the same tally as shared by stablemate New Approach - but she has the opportunity on Sunday to win her fourth Group One of the year (but it should be noted that Lush Lashes should almost certainly have a fourth Group One win already. Lush Lashes should have added the Group One Nassau Stakes to her tally at Goodwood in July. Her jockey, Kevin Manning, was constantly denied a clear run - and then lost his reins yards from the post - when she finished fast to be beaten a head by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Halfway To Heaven).
Lush Lashes started only once as a 2 year old, winning on debut at the Curragh in the Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Fillies Million. She defeated her 21 rivals by 1 1/2 lengths.
After a long spell she would resume again for her 3 year old campaign at the end of March. This second preparation has taken her into the premier races for fillies and mares and has included 9 race starts. When she competes in the Hong Kong Cup on Sunday it will be her 10th start of this (only her 2nd) campaign. Both Viva Pataca and Eagle Mountain will be having only their 3rd runs of their current campaigns. It will take a very special filly to be competitive against her well performed and experienced male rivals.
Along the way to Hong Kong Lush Lashes has already won three Group One events:
The Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot over 1 mile.
The Darley Yorkshire Oaks at Newmarket over 1 1/2 miles.
The Coolmore Fuschaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes at Leopardstown over 1 mile.
"I love travelling to the Far East and bonding with our friends in Hong Kong. Lush Lashes falls into the same category as Alexander Goldrun and it is time to win the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup again. It is an ideal race and has been an objective all season."
"Lush Lashes was badly struck into at the start of the Prix de l'Opera on Arc Day at the beginning of October. Her cannon bone was severely cut - nasty enough to reveal the bone and it took her a month to get over it. In the end, she did very well to finish second to Lady Marian at Longchamp that day."
"She is fine now and in good form. She has travelled well to Hong Kong and I hope she will settle in and there will be no hitches next week.
"I think we have a pound or two in hand of the main opposition, last year's runner up Viva Pataca and Eagle Mountain."
'I'm not sure if it's that much of a step up - she has been competing in very good company all year. I am just hoping she can run to her best form and, if she does, she won't be too far away at the finish. It has been a good year and I will be happy to finish on a high note.”
“She seems very well and we are hopeful she will run up to her best form. I won't be saying anything to Kevin in terms of tactics, I will leave it up to him. There isn't much point in having any preconceived ideas because so many things can change. He has been in that situation before so I think he can handle it.” - Jim Bolger.
Lush Lashes winning the Yorkshire Oaks:
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