Sun Goddess Seeks to Carry Strong Form to Moyglare

Sun Goddess (IRE) has arguably been the most outstanding 2-year-old filly this season and she rocks up to the Sept. 13 Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) on the back of a stunning triumph in a sales race at York Racecourse's Ebor meeting. She was sent off the even-money favorite at York, but drifted all the way out to 16-1 in-running on the Betfair Exchange when nearer last than first 2 furlongs out after being hampered. It looked like a hopeless task. If you were told at that point she would go on to win by 6 lengths, you would have thought the only way it was possible was if a Porsche pulled up alongside her and gave her a lift to the line. It was outrageously impressive stuff from the daughter of Sioux Nation, who now will try to add her name to the list of Aidan O'Brien's 11 Moyglare winners in the 7-furlong group 1 for 2-year-old fillies at the Curragh. "Sun Goddess is a lovely filly and we're going to learn a lot from her here," O'Brien said. "She's never been beyond 6 furlongs before, but we think she'll stay. You never know until you try, though, so it'll be very interesting." O'Brien also has Alpha (IRE), who was disappointing as odds-on favorite when beaten by Green Empress (IRE) in the Debutante Stakes (G2) and has to reverse that form here. "Alpha stays this trip very well and we think she has come forward nicely since the Debutante," O'Brien said. "She's in good form and we're expecting a good run for her." Joseph O'Brien won this race as a jockey on Maybe (IRE) in 2011 and his sole success as a trainer came in 2016 with Intricately (IRE). As well as Green Empress, he is also represented by the rapidly improving Dancing Destiny (IRE), who has gone from a mark of 86 to 104 in the space of a couple of months. "This has been her target," Joseph O'Brien said of Green Empress. "It was a big thrill for everyone for her to break her maiden in the Debutante Stakes for the Thoroughbred Racing Corporation. We feel she's come forward from that run and her form tells you she's a leading contender for the race. She wouldn't want it to get too soft, though. "Dancing Destiny wouldn't have been one of the more obvious ones on pedigree at the start of the year, but she showed herself to be a really professional filly with plenty of ability from an early stage and she's done nothing but improve on the track. Her form ties in with plenty of the leading 2-year-old fillies in Ireland, so she's earned her shot at a group 1." The Moyglare Stud Stakes is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event, granting the winner an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Oct. 30 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Keeneland.