Whirl Outlasts Kalpana for Pretty Polly Victory
Whirl pulled out all the stops to deny Kalpana in a barnstorming renewal of the Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) June 28.
Runner-up in the June 6 Epsom Oaks (G1), Whirl set out to make all the running under Ryan Moore, but Colin Keane aboard Kalpana ensured he was always within striking distance of the leader.
When Kalpana moved up to join Whirl in the home straight, it appeared a matter of when rather than if she would take control, but, under the Moore drive, Whirl refused to surrender and pulled out extra to win going away at the finish.
It was a first success at the highest level for Whirl, who returned at 13-8 having been well supported in the buildup. She had 1 1/4 lengths to spare over the 5-6 favorite at the line, with 18-1 chance Survie in third.
The winner was subsequently cut to 10-1 (from 20) for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) at Longchamp in October with Sky Bet and Paddy Power. Ante-post favorite Kalpana was eased to 16-1 with William Hill.
Celebrating his sixth win in the race, trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “She’s very special and Ryan gave her a great ride. For a filly coming back from a mile and a half and when you’re trying to outstay a rival, it’s very difficult. You’re walking a tightrope but he got it spot on.
“She’s the ultimate racing machine and it was an unbelievable race to watch. Colin and Ryan weren’t giving each other an inch the whole way. That’s what you want to come racing to watch. It makes it very special and I think it’s a race we will remember for a long time. They went at it for the whole way. We saw in the Oaks that she wasn’t surrendering and we saw it again today. It was some ding-dong the whole way. It was a great spectacle.”
Asked what might be next for the winner, O’Brien added: “Minnie Hauk will get first look at the Irish Oaks because that’s what she’s been trained for, but we’ll see how this filly is and the lads will decide what they want to do.
“She could go for the Nassau or York for the Yorkshire Oaks. She has so many options.”
Whirl’s victory was a 150th at group/grade 1 level as a partnership for O’Brien and Moore, having first struck at the top level together with Beethoven in the 2009 Dewhurst Stakes (G1).
