Lake Victoria sweeps aside Breeders’ Cup rivals

Lake Victoria’s flawless record remains intact after she struck in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.

Aidan O’Brien’s Frankel two-year-old was ridden by Ryan Moore on an inside line in the opening stages of the one-mile contest, with the filly significantly tightened up for room on the first bend.

Lake Victoria appeared to briefly lose her balance, but Moore soon got her back on an even keel and was able to regain momentum on the rail.

In the straight she was switched out to find some racing room and when asked was easily able to pull away to a comprehensive success, extending her unbeaten run to five races and adding a third top-level success after victories in the Moyglare and Cheveley Park Stakes.

O’Brien was full of praise for Moore’s ride given the trouble Lake Victoria encountered in the initial exchanges.

He said: “Whether she got crowded or was bumped I’m not sure, but Ryan was further back than he wanted to be. He was in a terrible position but he gave her a brilliant ride

“The lads (Coolmore) decided to give her a bit more time (after the Cheveley Park) and come here and Ryan was very confident.

“Ryan says she will be a miler and we will train her for the Guineas. Hopefully she will get a mile and a quarter.

“We will let her thrive over the winter with the colts and then we will map out plans for all of them into the new year.”

Moore was in no doubt about Lake Victoria’s class before the race and felt she had stamped her authority in style.

He said: “She had very strong form, all she needed was normal racing luck she had her share of that and she was much the best.

“I had no concerns about the distance she had won over seven at the Curragh and to me there was no doubt that she would get the mile – she was way too good for them.

“Going forwardm she’s more of a miler and probably a Guineas filly.”

Reflecting on the incident on the first turn, Moore added: “She got pushed into the fence and that was that. They had gone pretty quick and by the end of the back (straight) most of them were done.

“She jumped very well but there were quite a lot of them wanted to lead, there wasn’t much space.”

The filly is owned by the Coolmore triumvirate but runs in the colours of Michael Tabor, who is eager to see what the filly achieves in the future.

He said: “Something happened that I couldn’t quite see but she showed she is special under a great ride.

“She ranks very highly with some of our best fillies, only time will tell how good she is.”