June, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rematch? Both Subjectivist, Stradivarius On Target For Goodwood Cup

Gold Cup hero Subjectivist and four-time Goodwood Cup winner Stradivarius are on course for an eagerly awaited rematch in the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup (27 entries) on Tuesday, July 27.

Entries were revealed Wednesday for seven races during the Qatar Goodwood Festival, including the two-mile highlight and the G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes.

The Qatar Goodwood Festival runs from Tuesday, July 27 to Saturday, July 31, with the first three days forming part of the Tote World Pool series.

All eyes were on the John & Thady Gosden-trained Stradivarius at Royal Ascot as he attempted to emulate Yeats' record of four Gold Cups, but it was Subjectivist who powered to an emphatic five-length victory as Stradivarius met trouble in running to finish fourth.

Mark Johnston's stable star is building quite a CV, with last week's success coming on the back of equally dominant victories in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp in October and the G2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan, UAE, in March.

Johnston has sent out five winners of the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, including Double Trigger, who captured the race three times between 1995 and 1998 – a feat surpassed by Stradivarius last year.

Johnston said: “Subjectivist has had a very easy time of it since his run in the Gold Cup. He will have a gradual return back to full work, with the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup being the next target.

“Looking back at the Gold Cup, it was a very exciting performance. Whichever way you look at it, whether it be the form, the time, the sectional times, the distance he won by, it all points to it being an absolutely top-draw performance.

“In fairness, his win before that in Dubai was very good, but I suppose everybody is generally slightly sceptical of the Dubai form. But at Ascot he has confirmed it by running a very similar race in terms of style. I don't think there are any doubts about the horse now.

“It is well-documented that I love the stayers, and it means a huge amount to me personally to have a horse like this. With horses who run in these big two-mile plus races, the big concern is can you keep them sound, but barring any injuries or problems, he is an extremely exciting horse to have.”

Regarding a rematch with Stradivarius, Johnston added: “I think if you read my blog, you will see that I said, 'Subjectivist was bred by Susan Hearn, Barry Hearn's wife, and if this was another sport, Barry Hearn would be promoting the rematch and we'd all be making a lot of money out of it!' But seriously, a big clash between these two horses at Goodwood will be very good for racing.”

Stradivarius has made the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup his own since landing the spoils for the first time as a three-year-old in 2017. Bjorn Nielsen's homebred is chasing an unprecedented fifth straight victory, a feat unlikely to be repeated in a race that dates back to 1812.

Other high-profile entries include G2 Yorkshire Cup victor Spanish Mission (Andrew Balding), who was third behind Subjectivist at Royal Ascot, and 2019 St Leger victor Logician (John & Thady Gosden).

Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien has three entries, including Melbourne Cup victor Twilight Payment and prolific G2 Belmont Gold Cup winner Baron Samedi.

The Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup is part of the British Champions Series.

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Palace Pier, Poetic Flare Tied Atop Cartier Horse Of The Year Standings

Royal Ascot winners Palace Pier and Poetic Flare are tied at the top of the Cartier Horse Of The Year standings following their victories at Royal Ascot last week.

The Cartier Racing Awards were established in 1991 to reward excellence in horseracing. There are eight equine awards – the Cartier Horse Of The Year, the Cartier Older Horse, the Cartier Sprinter, the Cartier Stayer, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly, the Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt and the Cartier Two-Year-Old Filly.

The 31st annual Cartier Racing Awards will be awarded in November. Cartier continues its ongoing support with the presentation of the Cartier Racing Awards.

Both Palace Pier and Poetic Flare currently have 96 points in the Cartier Horse Of The Year standings after establishing themselves as the best milers of their generations.

Four-year-old Palace Pier, trained by John & Thady Gosden for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, cemented his status as the world's best older horse over a mile when recording his fourth G1 victory in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 15.

Poetic Flare has emerged as the top miler of the Classic crop following a remarkable start to his season for breeder/trainer Jim Bolger that included a stunning success in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes at the Royal Meeting on June 15.

The son of 2012 Cartier Two-Year-Old Colt Dawn Approach had previously run in all three major mile Classics for colts, winning the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, finishing sixth in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains and going down by a short-head in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas.

Other contenders in the Cartier Horse Of The Year standings include the Aidan O'Brien-trained Mother Earth (72), who followed up her QIPCO 1000 Guineas win and Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches second with a third in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 18.

St Mark's Basilica (64), owned like Mother Earth by a Coolmore partnership and also trained by Aidan O'Brien, has already established himself as one of the stars of 2021 with victories in the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club.

Palace Pier, who was crowned last season's Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt, also leads the way in the Cartier Older Horse standings, ahead of G1 Prix d'Ispahan scorer Skalleti (56).

Last year's Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly Love made an impressive return to action at Royal Ascot with victory in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and a Coolmore partnership on June 16.

She currently has 48 points in the Cartier Older Horse category, along with stable-companion Broome, who finished second in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 19. Helvic Dream, Lady Bowthorpe, Mare Australis and Pyledriver also feature among the early contenders in the same category with 40 points each.

Poetic Flare (96) and St Mark's Basilica (64) lead the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt category ahead of G1 Cazoo Derby victor Adayar (52).

Mother Earth heads fellow Classic winners Snowfall (56) and Joan Of Arc (56) in the Cartier Three-Year-Old Filly division, with the latter having provided Aidan O'Brien with a historic first success in the G1 Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly on June 20. Alcohol Free, winner of the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 18, and G1 Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary heroine Incarville are next on 40 points.

Oxted (40) heads the Cartier Sprinter category following his win in the G1 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 15. American star Campanelle (32) made a triumphant return to action as she was awarded the G1 Commonwealth Cup at the Royal Meeting on June 18 following a stewards' enquiry.

Having filled the runner-up spot for the past two years, Dream Of Dreams (32) recorded a deserved success in the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 19, while the David Evans-trained Rohaan (24) continues to be one of the success stories of the season, landing the Wokingham Handicap on his latest start on June 19.

There is a new name atop the Cartier Stayer standings following Subjectivist's win for trainer Mark Johnston in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on June 17. The Dr Jim Walker-owned four-year-old has 60 points, ahead of Spanish Mission (28) and Princess Zoe (24) who were third and second in the staying highlight.

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Trio Of Stakes Wins Net Juan J. Hernandez Jockey Of The Week Title

Juan J. Hernandez made the most of closing weekend at Santa Anita winning three stakes races leading to Jockey of the Week honors for June 14 through June 20. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

On Saturday, trainer Richard Mandella gave a leg up to regular rider Hernandez on Kanderel in the Siren Lure Stakes at 6-1/2 furlongs on the turf. Breaking from the rail in the field of seven, Kanderel was six lengths off dueling leaders Texas Wedge and Tilted Towers heading to the far turn. With a furlong to run, Kanderel rallied from last to win in 1:14.98.

“I broke from the inside, number one post and Mr. Mandella told me to ride the horse like the last time,” said Hernandez. “My horse, he loves to come from behind. I was saving ground and at the (top of) the stretch, I decided to go outside and make my run.”

On Sunday, closing day at Santa Anita, Hernandez rode heavy favorite Big City Lights for trainer Luis Mendez in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity winning gate-to-wire by 7-1/4 lengths while getting five furlongs in :58.20.

“This horse is improving a lot,” said Hernandez. “Last time he broke a little slow, but today he broke really sharp and I was clear in front, probably three or four jumps after. When I asked him at the quarter pole, he took off again, he's a nice horse.”

Hernandez continued his winning ways by riding Warren's Showtime for trainer Craig Lewis in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes. Off as the favorite, Hernandez and Warren's Showtime were next to last travelling on the backside. At the top of the stretch, Hernandez took Warren's Showtime four wide to win the one mile turf event by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:34.29.

“We've been knocking on the door the last few times, we were third, second, just missing the winner, but today I think the pace was the key,” said Hernandez who registered his third win of the day. “That was a good pace because she was flying at the end.”

Weekly stats for Hernandez were 24-7-3-2 for 29 percent win rate, 50 percent in-the-money and total purses of $369,886 to lead all jockeys.

Hernandez out-polled Tyler Baze who won two stakes races, Alex Bizer who led all jockeys with 10 wins, Joel Rosario with a graded stakes win and Tim Thornton with a 33 percent strike rate from 24 mounts.

Hernandez finished second in the winter/spring jockey standings with 92 wins and eight graded stakes.

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Bloodlines: Northern Dancer’s Sprinting Lines Shine At Royal Ascot

Just in time for Father's Day, freshman sire Ardad received the perfect gift when his son Perfect Power won the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. A winner in two of his three starts, Perfect Power is the first stakes winner for his sire from a dozen winners so far.

Bred in Ireland by Tally Ho Stud, Perfect Power was a 16,000-guinea RNA at last season's Tattersalls October yearling sale, and the colt returned as a 2-year-old in training at the 2021 Goffs UK breeze up and sold for 110,000 guineas to Blandford Bloodstock on behalf of Sheikh Rashid Dalmook al Maktoum.

The colt that Perfect Power beat a head to claim the Norfolk was Go Bears Go, a son of second-crop sire Kodi Bear, who is a son of Kodiac, like Ardad. Last year, Kodiac had four freshmen sire sons, and each sired a group-placed horse or group winner. This year, Ardad already has a group winner and a group-placed, after Vintage Clarets was third in the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Ardad, like his son Perfect Power, was a pricey juvenile in training (cost 170,000 guineas) and became a winner at Royal Ascot with a victory in the listed Windsor Castle Stakes, then won the G2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster. Rated 111 by Timeform at two, Ardad won three of his six starts as a juvenile but did not train on.

Sent to stud in 2018 at Overbury Stud in England, Ardad proved popular enough to have a first crop of 91 foals, and he is the current leading freshman sire in Europe by earnings and by number of winners. On that list, five of the top six have stud fees priced at 4,000 or 5,000 euros; Ardad's stud fee for 2021? It was 4,000 euros.

That is history and to what degree depends on how well Perfect Power, Vintage Clarets, and some of the other winners from the sire finish out their first season.

The effect that Kodiac and his sons are having on European racing is evident. They are fast, athletic horses who come to hand early and naturally. The comment of Ardad's trainer John Gosden is appropriate: “a strong, powerful and precocious colt with a great mind. He was an absolute pleasure to train and was a real Royal Ascot 2-year-old.”

Kodiac appears to be taking the legacy of his sire Danehill in a similar direction to some of that sire's Australian sons, with speed and precocity being the key words there. And it is important that Europe has such a wide variety of racecourses and racing distances available because sires and their offspring who have a special preference have a likewise broad opportunity to race effectively and win.

This broad specialization and resulting segregation of sires, and sometimes of entire lines of sires, into stayers or sprinters was much more rigid a century ago in Europe and remained so for much of the 20th century until Vincent O'Brien began training American-pedigreed horses who appeared to have miler pedigrees but nonetheless could win classics and all-age events at middle distances.

As the Northern Dancer revolution swept up European racing and breeding, the old sprinting lines disappeared into the history books, but it is intriguing that the Northern Dancer line is the source of what appear to be the best “sprinting lines” in Europe through Danzig's sons Danehill and Green Desert, as well as through juvenile highweight Try My Best (Acclamation and his sons, especially Dark Angel).

Certainly, Kodiac has been a major-league revelation at stud following a racing career that featured only one stakes-placing. The sire has been a black-type machine, siring 66 stakes winners to this point and another 75 stakes-placed horses. And, although the sire's top colt, three-time G1 winner Best Solution, won a Caulfield Cup in Australia, Kodiac's other G1 winners preferred the shorter side of eight furlongs.

Fairyland and Tiggy Wiggy won the G1 Cheveley Park; Hello Youmzain won the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and Diamond Jubilee; and Campanelle won the G1 Prix Morny and then the Commonwealth Cup last week at Royal Ascot. Now one of the most popular sires in Europe, Kodiac stands for 65,000 euros at Tally Ho Stud in Ireland.

His is a line of serious speed horses who frequently want five furlongs, rather than six; their complement in the Northern Dancer set of sprint influences comes through Danzig's son Green Desert, a sire of classic winners and top milers himself. He also sired Invincible Spirit, who also won a Haydock Sprint Cup and has become an important sire of speed, with a dash of classic inclination.

Both Invincible Spirit and Kodiac are out of the Prix de Diane winner Rafha (Kris); so, despite all our focus on male lines, should the actual credit for the most persistent expression of specialist sprinting form go to a classic-winning broodmare?

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