Pacific Mission will be treated as a potential 1000 Guineas contender in the spring after rewarding the faith of her connections with a second-place finish at the Breeders’ Cup.
Andrew Balding’s novice winner at Kempton and May Hill Stakes runner-up looked to have her work cut out for her in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and her task was made even more difficult by the fact that she was drawn widest of all in box 12.
However, the daughter of Lope De Vega proved her worth with an excellent effort to finish best of the rest behind Donnacha O’Brien’s Balantina, giving the Juddmonte team reason for optimism ahead of her three-year-old season next season.
Barry Mahon, European racing manager for the owner-breeders said: “It was a massive run. It was a big shout from Andrew and Colin (Keane, jockey) and the owners to show her what she had done, but she is a nice filly and worked well so they wanted to give it a try.
“From the draw she had we said we would take the time to ride her for luck and fairness. Second place was a great result considering it was a tough proposition from a wide draw.
“I think we’ll start with a Guineas trial in the spring and see where we go, but she’s a filly with a lot of quality and that was only her fourth run, so we can start a trial and see if we can get there.
“Her mother (Big Break) was placed in a Guineas (fourth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas) and they are a good family, so you never know.”
Juddmonte fired off a double attack in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, with the Balding-trained Jonquil finishing ninth and Ralph Beckett’s shocked Sussex Stakes winner Qirat a few places further in 12th.
However, Mahon is not giving up on either horse, with Jonquil in particular expected to do better next season.
“I think the draws killed them a bit. With Qirat (stall 13) we said we’d keep going and see where we could get and he probably paid the price for that and Colin thought Jonquil (stall 10) was just a bit flat,” he added.
“It was his second trip within a month after running Keeneland in early October and he’s been on the road since the Greenham (in April), so I think he probably needs a refresher now and goes again next year.
“He’s been running all year and mixed up between us sprinting and hitting wide draws, he’s had a bit of bad luck, but on his run at Keeneland and his win in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood, I’m sure there’s a Group 1 in him.”
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