There weren't too many Galway hints on offer at the Curragh on Saturday but one comment did more than hint at Takali's future role this year.
The three-year-old colt earned a Group Three prize for himself in beating Yara by a neck in the Meld Stakes, but the days of Group success automatically earning the victor the cottonwool treatment seem to be over.
"It's great that he's won this as it proves he's a decent horse, but he may have another mission in life," declared trainer John Oxx, who was winning the Meld for the fifth time since 1990.
That means a return to the pacemaking role that Takali performed so adequately, in company with Raypour, for their illustrious stable companion Sinndar in the Irish Derby.
Oxx reported the Prix Niel at Longchamp on September 10th is still the planned Arc warm-up for the double Derby winner but wouldn't be drawn on what he thinks may happen when Sinndar clashes with the imperious Montjeu in the autumn.
"All I can say is that Sinndar is just fine and doing what he does, which is eating and sleeping," he smiled.
As for Takali, a half brother to the 1998 Meld winner Takarian, he added: "We had looked at him as a Golden Pages Handicap kind of horse but then he ran so well in the Derby that we had to forget that. It's better he won this Group race anyway."
Jockey Niall McCullagh stood in for John Murtagh on Takali - "that's his trip and that's his ground" - and successfully did the same on Fantasia Girl who beat the Ballydoyle pair, Mythlogical and Shakespeare, in the Connell Race.
"She's improving," Oxx conceded. "She's taken us from wondering `will she win a maiden' to `she will win a maiden' and now she's won this fair little race. Now we'll try and find a Listed race on fast ground for her."
Aidan O'Brien's La Vida Loca was ousted from favouritism in the opening maiden by Patinham but did it successfully out on the track to score for her new owner, the Chicago-based Lewis Lakin, who intends to race the filly in the US.
O'Brien did have the favourite for the Tyros Stakes in the Royal Ascot-placed Modigliani but the colt could not get in a blow at the Con Collins-trained Softly Tread, who just held off Resonate.
Recently bought by Italian Antonio Balzarini, owner of the 1989 Arc winner Carroll House, Softly Tread has entries in the Heinz and the Moyglare. Her jockey Pat Shanahan wasn't later doubled up on Goldstreet in the 10-furlong handicap.
