Lush Lashes' Coronation win keeps Irish smiling

The Irish garden party that is Royal Ascot this year continued Friday, but whereas trainer Aidan O'Brien dominated the first three days of the meet, his compatriot Jim Bolger swept all before him on the fourth day.

It was Lush Lashes that had Irish eyes smiling most brightly under a dim English sky as she drew off to an impressive score in the Group 1, $490,000 Coronation Stakes. A millionaire after her first career start at 2, when she won the $2.2 million Goffs Fillies Million at the Curragh in September, this daughter of Galileo powered clear under Kevin Manning to hand Infallible a 3 1/4-length beating. Carribean Sunset was up for third and the 9-4 choice Spacious was fourth, 4 1/2 lengths behind the winner, who was sent off at a generous 5-1. The time for the one-turn, uphill mile was 1:39.23 on ground labeled firm, good to firm in places.

Lush Lashes had disappointed when sixth to Natagora in the 1000 Guineas, and appeared to be an Oaks filly when winning the 1o5/16-mile Group 3 Musidora Stakes. She failed to handle the difficult Epsom 1 1/2 miles, however, coming home fifth behind race winner Look Here. This cutback to a mile suited her perfectly Friday, but Bolger will try her at 1o1/2 miles again in the Irish Oaks on July 13. Now 3 for 6 lifetime, Lush Lashes has earned $1,768,372.

Bolger and Manning started off Friday with a bang as Cuis Ghaire went 1 3/4 lengths clear to win the Group 3 Albany Stakes for juvenile fillies. Like Lush Lashes, Cuis Ghaire is a daughter of Galileo, and the 8-11 undefeated favorite had to work hard for her money but was going away from runner-up Penny's Gift at the end, clocking a slow 1:15.72 for the six furlongs on the fast ground.

Cuis Ghaire is bred to stay at least a mile, and Bolger said she would now step up in distance. The seven-furlong Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on Aug. 31 appears a likely spot.

Between the Albany and the Coronation, Godolphin got its first victory of the Royal Ascot meeting when Frankie Dettori turned in a brilliant front-running ride aboard the 9-2 Campanologist to win the Group 2, $395,000 King Edward VII Stakes.

A listed-race winner at Newmarket, Campanologist skipped the Epsom Derby in favor of this easier event, and the plan paid dividends. A Kentucky-bred son of Kingmambo from the family of Singspiel and Rahy, Campanologist held on bravely by three-quarters of a length over the 11-4 favorite Conduit, running the 1 1/2 miles in 2:31.24. He is now being considered for both the Irish Derby and the St. Leger Stakes.