July, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hurricane Poised For Grand Prix

Godolphin's Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was the subject of an upbeat bulletin from Charlie Appleby as he prepares for Wednesday's G1 Grand Prix de Paris which drew a final field of 11. Supplemented for Paris Longchamp's 12-furlong contest having taken the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh June 26, he was drawn in seven with two of the Ballydoyle trio Sir Lamorak (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Wordsworth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in five and six respectively.

“Hurricane Lane heads to Paris in good order,” his trainer said on Monday. “We expected him to need some time after what looked a hard race in the Irish Derby, but he surprised us with how well he came out of it. He worked nicely over the weekend and we opted to take this route as there is plenty of time between now and the St Leger. This looks a good opportunity to hopefully win another Group 1 over a mile and a half and he looks the one to beat.”

Favourably drawn in one is The Aga Khan's G1 Prix du Jockey Club fourth Saiydabad (Blame), who was an eye-catcher from stall 11 in that 10 1/2-furlong Chantilly Classic June 6. Also representing Jean-Claude Rouget is White Birch Farm's Cheshire Academy (Fr) (Flintshire {GB}), who fared even worse with the post position there and also made up late ground to be fifth. Drawn four this time, the son of the 2013 Grand Prix de Paris hero returns to the scene of his success in the 10 1/2-furlong G3 Prix Noailles Apr. 11.

“Saiydabad had a good run in the Jockey Club, even if he does always take a little while to get going,” Rouget said. “It all opened up for him on the rail and he finished out the race very strongly.

“With Cheshire Academy, the draw went against him. We should not forget that he had a little niggle for a couple of days in the weeks leading up to the race and missed a gallop. With all those factors included, his fifth-place finish was very good. I think that both horses are indifferent in terms of ground conditions, they will both be suited by the step up in trip.

“Who is the best out of the two? We will find out on Wednesday! All I can say is that they both have had a good preparation leading into the race and I think they have very good chances.”

There was no positive news for William Haggas, with M M Stables' Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial and June 18 G2 King Edward VII S. winner Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) drawn widest of all in 11.

Stormy conditions continue, but the manager of France Galop's racecourses and training centres Matthieu Vincent is hoping the track will be spot-on for the evening's fixture.

“In an ideal situation, we would be hoping for a reading of 3.2 or 3.3,” he said. “At midday on Friday, the track at ParisLongchamp was gauged to be at 3.4, having been watered and worked following racing on Thursday.”

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Florida Sire Fury Kapcori Dies At Age 11

Fury Kapcori, a Grade 3 winner whose stud career was just getting started, died last month due to complications from colic.

The 11-year-old son of Tiznow resided at Journeyman Stallions in Ocala, Fla., where he had resided since 2016.

“He colicked one night, and it turned into colitis,” said Journeyman's Brent Fernung. “He was a nice horse. He could get you a runner. It's a shame, he probably never got the opportunity that he should have, like the stallions that were able to attract bigger books of mares. He was getting by with 30 to 50 mares.”

Fernung said the stallion fell ill around the time of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age, which began on June 9.

From three crops of racing age, Fury Kapcori has sired 17 winners, with combined progeny earnings of $833,570.

His top runners include High On Gin, a multiple stakes winner in Louisiana, and The Goddess Lyssa, who won the Minaret Stakes earlier this year at Tampa Bay Downs.

During his own racing career, Fury Kapcori won six of 18 starts for earnings of $521,040.

Racing for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer in partnership with Rick Awtrey and George Todaro, Fury Kapcori won his second career start at Golden Gate Fields as a juvenile, then remained in Northern California to win the listed Charlie Palmer Futurity at Fresno. He finished his 2-year-old season at Hollywood Park where he finished second in the listed Real Quiet Stakes and the G1 Cash Call Futurity.

Future campaigns saw Fury Kapcori compete primarily in Southern California, highlighted by a four-race winning streak at Santa Anita Park to begin his 2014 campaign, which was highlighted by scores in the black type Santana Mile Stakes and the Grade 3 Precisionist Stakes. His streak was halted with a runner-up effort in the G2 Californian Stakes.

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Bert Firestone Passes Away

Bert Firestone, who along with his wife Diana, enjoyed international success at racing's top level for decades, passed away Monday at JFK Medical center in West Palm Beach. He was 89.

Firestone, a successful industrial real estate developer, was a hands-on horseman–he spent a summer in the early 1950s galloping for trainer Charlie Whittingham–whose American racing successes led to seven Eclipse Awards. Honest Pleasure (What a Pleasure) earned the couple's first Eclipse statue as champion 2-year-old of 1971 and he was followed by 1977 champion sprinter What a Summer (What Luck).

In 1980, the Firestones enjoyed perhaps their greatest stateside success when Genuine Risk (Exclusive Native) became only the second filly to win the GI Kentucky Derby. The filly's victory on the First Saturday in May bettered the previous runner-up efforts of Firestone colorbearers Honest Pleasure and General Assembly (Secretariat) and earned the couple, not just an Eclipse statue as leading 3-year-old filly, but also contributed to a championship as leading owners.

Already a champion in France, April Run (Ire) (Run the Gauntlet) earned the Eclipse Award as the top turf mare in the U.S. in 1982 and the great Theatrical (Ire) (Nureyev) reeled off six Grade I victories in 1987 to become the first Eclipse champion and Breeders' Cup winner for future Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

“They are great horse-people,” Mott told TDN's John Berry last year. “They understand horses, understand racing. They are people who are passionate about the horses themselves and when people are passionate about the horses as individuals, then it makes it easy for everything to go well.”

Firestone's Eclipse champions also include Jimmy Lorenzo (GB) (Our Jimmy), the top steeplechaser of 1988.

The Firestones success in the U.S. was matched or exceeded by their achievements in Europe, where they enjoyed their first top-level victory when King's Company (Ire) (King's Troop {GB}) won the 1971 Irish 2000 Guineas. The following year, the colt retired to the couple's newly purchased the 1,200 Gilltown Stud in Co. Kildare.

A year after Genuine Risk was named the top 3-year-old filly in the U.S., the Firestones ran the table in that division in Europe when Blue Wind (Ire) (Lord Gayle) was named champion in both England and Ireland, while April Run was named top 3-year-old filly in France and Play it Safe (Ire) (Red Alert {Ire}) was that country's champion 2-year-old filly.

The Firestones, who owned both Gulfstream Park and Calder Racecourse from 1989 to 1991, began scaling back their racing ventures in the late 1980s, selling Gilltown back to the Aga Khan in 1989. They also downsized from their 2,000-acre Catoctin Stud in Waterford, Virginia and acquired Newstead Farm in Upperville in 1991.

The Firestone homebred Winchester (Theatrical {Ire}) became the couple's final top-level victor with four Grade I wins from 2008 to 2011 and they completed the dispersal of their bloodstock in January 2020.

Christophe Clement, who trained Winchester for three of those Grade I victories, told TDN last year, “Very rarely will one train for people who have been a leading owner and breeder in both the States and Europe. It was also a touch intimidating, as Mr. Firestone had a great knowledge of racing through his time as a trainer and in racetrack ownership. Mr. and Mrs. Firestone are wonderful owners. They are great horse-people and the horses always come first.”

Both Bert and Diana Firestone were avid showjumpers and hunted in Virginia with the Piedmont and Middleburg Hunts and were Joint-Masters of the Kildare Foxhounds in Ireland. Two of his children, Matt and Alison, rode for the U.S. Equestrian team.

Firestone is survived by his wife, Diana; his four children, Matt, Greg, Ted and Alison; his three stepchildren, Lorna, Chris and Cricket and several grandchildren.

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UK Government Confirms Lockdown Restrictions to Lift in England

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that lockdown restrictions will ease on July 19, paving the way for racecourses in England to receive their full complement of spectators. The UK Government will no longer require social distancing and wearing face coverings, but the public is still advised to utilise them in crowded spaces. Some COVID-19 safety protocols will remain in place at racecourses, with Ascot slated to host the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. on July 24.

The Prime Minister said in a Downing Street press conference on Monday, “It is absolutely vital that we proceed with caution…the pandemic is not over,” but confirmed that the so-called “freedom day” would see the end of most restrictions.

“We think now is the right moment to proceed when we have the natural firebreak of the school holidays in the next few days,” the Prime Minister added.

Racecourse Chief Executive David Armstrong said, “It is fantastic news that racecourses in England will be able to welcome racegoers without restriction from Monday, July 19. The RCA is working closely with the racecourses in England to prepare for full capacities and we will continue to communicate with our industry partners and the devolved governments for an update from Wales and Scotland.

“It has been a difficult time for the racing industry and we estimate that the pandemic has cost racecourses £400m. However, with some of the sport's most iconic marquee events just around the corner, including the Qatar Goodwood Festival, Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival and Cazoo St Leger Festival, it looks set to be a brilliant summer of racing.”

“The RCA, alongside Great British Racing, is working to attract racegoers back on course, reminding everyone that racing is a great day out for all. It is also important to remember that racecourses are safe venues to visit. As well as having vast amounts of outdoor space the racecourses, in line with government messaging, will encourage spectators to remain vigilant and use their own judgement while on course to keep everybody comfortable and safe.

“In order to protect racing's key participants and minimise the risk of self-isolation, it may be necessary for a small number of restrictions to remain in place, but these will be removed as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.”

The British Horseracing Authority said in a statement, “It is very pleasing to hear that the planned easing of restrictions which were announced last week have today been confirmed.

“The return of spectators to race meetings in greater numbers in England represents a significant and much needed step along the sport's plans for recovery from the impacts of Covid-19. We await further announcements from the Scottish and Welsh Governments on their Covid regulations later this week.

“The industry is working together to finalise the infection control measures that will be in place to protect the sport's participants, particularly those working mainly in and around the Weighing Room Complex, which remains a higher-risk area.

“Full details of these plans will be published in the coming days.”

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