 |
|
| Staff Writer |
Babouche stormed back to her devastating best with an authoritative display in the Lacken Stakes at Naas, setting up a tilt at the Commonwealth Cup.
Ger Lyons' filly, a Gr.1 winner at two in the Phoenix Stakes where she defeated Whistlejacket, had been below that form when beaten in the Cheveley Park and disappointed on her seasonal return at Cork.
With that run under her belt, though, she looked a completely different proposition in the hands of Colin Keane.
 |
She again faced Whistlejacket, who had scored on his seasonal debut but always looked to be travelling better than her rival. Ryan Moore was soon at work against the rail on Whistlejacket as Babouche cruised alongside.
Once Keane asked his mount to quicken, she did so immediately and powered clear to win by two-and-three-quarter lengths.
"That's the first time I've seen that this year from her," said Lyons.
"I'm delighted with the team's performance. We sucked it up and we went to Cork, it wasn't the obvious right thing to do but it was the right thing to do for what I was seeing at home.
"We parked the reputation and the ego and we said 'right, go down there, you're going to get beat because it's a furlong too short for you. We've spent the whole spring trying to settle you down and doing it right'. Now she's back.
"Locked And Loaded" For Group One Target
"Now we can go to the Commonwealth Cup and if we get beat, we get beat, but at least we know we are locked and loaded. It's been a good day."
He went on: "She's a Group One winner but she hasn't been doing that. I was delighted with what I've seen because it was a work in progress, but I needed to see that, otherwise we weren't going anywhere – we've won our Group One, so there's no point in carrying on.
"Now we can go off to the Commonwealth, it doesn't mean we'll win it but we're going there with a huge chance.
"When I saw him in Navan and I saw her at home, I wasn't beating him, so then I said 'lads, we have to do something'.
"If I rock up in the Lacken without Cork, we wouldn't have done that. It's brilliant, it's worked. Sometimes we get it right!"
"That's the first time I've seen that this year from her," said Lyons.
"I'm delighted with the team's performance. We sucked it up and we went to Cork, it wasn't the obvious right thing to do but it was the right thing to do for what I was seeing at home.
"We parked the reputation and the ego and we said 'right, go down there, you're going to get beat because it's a furlong too short for you. We've spent the whole spring trying to settle you down and doing it right'. Now she's back.
"Locked And Loaded" For Group One Target
"Now we can go to the Commonwealth Cup and if we get beat, we get beat, but at least we know we are locked and loaded. It's been a good day."
He went on: "She's a Group One winner but she hasn't been doing that. I was delighted with what I've seen because it was a work in progress, but I needed to see that, otherwise we weren't going anywhere – we've won our Group One, so there's no point in carrying on.
"Now we can go off to the Commonwealth, it doesn't mean we'll win it but we're going there with a huge chance.
"When I saw him in Navan and I saw her at home, I wasn't beating him, so then I said 'lads, we have to do something'.
"If I rock up in the Lacken without Cork, we wouldn't have done that. It's brilliant, it's worked. Sometimes we get it right!"