Rowley Mile provided a fitting stage for a Classic renewal that carried both history and expectation, as True Love delivered a determined late surge to land the fillies’ mile contest and edge trainer Aidan O’Brien ever closer to a long-standing record at Newmarket Racecourse. The result added another significant chapter to a season already rich in storylines.
On a sunlit afternoon at Newmarket, the mile Classic unfolded with patience and precision before True Love swept to the front inside the final furlong to secure a decisive victory.
The daughter of No Nay Never, sent off at 5-1, travelled smoothly under Wayne Lordan before asserting late to defeat Evolutionist by a length and three-quarters, with Venetian Lace staying on for third and The Prettiest Star completing the frame in fourth.
For O’Brien, it marked an eighth success in the race, leaving him just one shy of the record nine victories achieved in the 19th century by Robert Robson.
The Ballydoyle handler has now added True Love to an elite roll of honour that already includes Virginia Waters, Homecoming Queen, Minding, Winter, Hermosa, Love and Mother Earth.
True Love, a powerful and imposing filly, had hinted at top-class potential earlier in her career and confirmed it in style when stepping up to a mile on one of racing’s most searching tracks.
Wayne Lordan, registering his third win in the Classic, timed his challenge to perfection, waiting until the final furlong before asking for full effort as the race opened up in front of him.
Behind the winner, Evolutionist ran with great credit in second, staying on strongly to suggest a step up in trip could be next on her agenda, while Venetian Lace shaped like a filly suited to further improvement over longer distances.
Aidan O’Brien was typically reflective but satisfied after the race, highlighting both the scale of the achievement and the qualities of his winner, praising her strength, temperament and adaptability on a demanding track that leaves little margin for error.
He also indicated that future targets could include top-level mile assignments, depending on plans set out by connections, with further Classic opportunities firmly on the horizon.
For Wayne Lordan, it was another landmark afternoon on a stage he knows well, as he again demonstrated his composure in delivering a perfectly judged ride when it mattered most.
The result not only reshaped the Classic picture for the season ahead but also strengthened O’Brien’s pursuit of a piece of racing history that has stood for more than a century.
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