April, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cornelius All Smiles as Mamma Delivers Again

NEWMARKET, UK–The hugely consistent producer Mamma Morton (Ire) (Elnadim) was represented by arguably her most exciting offspring to date when her Havana Grey (GB) daughter Mammas Girl (GB) shot to victory along the stands' rail in the G3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn S.

The decisive win ensured that breeder Robert Cornelius and his father George were all smiles as they raced from the grandstand to watch the replay on the big screen.

“She was never mentioned except to say she was trailing, and then suddenly in the last 100 yards she gets through and then she was going away,” said Cornelius, who is based near Boroughbridge in Yorkshire.

He was understandably full of praise for the veteran Mamma Morton, who was bought on his behalf as a three-year-old by Richard Frisby at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Bred by Nelson Bunker Hunt, she was placed three times in five starts in Ireland but has more than made up for own lack of success on the racetrack in her second career. From her 12 progeny of racing age, 11 are winners and three have earned black type.

“She's been an amazing mare, truly amazing,” Cornelius added. “She's 19 now and she has a Dandy Man (Ire) yearling colt and an Ardad (Ire) colt foal. She's going to Mohaather (GB) this year. We've mostly gone the speed route with her; she likes a small, fast stallion.”

A former long-term boarder at Whitsbury Manor Stud, Mamma Morton's three stakes performers are all by the farm's stallions, past and present. Master Of War (GB) (Compton Place {GB}) won the Listed Rose Bowl S. before finishing second in both the G2 Richmond S. and G2 Mill Reef S. More recently Life In Colour (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) was placed in last season's Listed Waterford Testimonial S. for Willie McCreery in the colours of Wendy O'Leary. Mammas Girl is now unbeaten in two starts, both on the Rowley Mile, where she will return in a little over a fortnight for the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas to become a first Classic contender for her second-season sire.

“She used to board at Whitsbury and this was the last foal she had there, but she was at Whitsbury for all that time and they did a great job,” said the breeder who added that Mamma Morton, one of only two broodmares he owns, now lives at Copgrove Hall Stud, close to his own home. The famed Yorkshire nursery, previously owned by successful breeders Major Lionel Holliday and Guy Reed, is run by Brian O'Rourke.

He added, “She's only ever had one foal that hasn't won. I'm really hoping for a filly next year.”

Mammas Girl was consigned by WH Bloodstock at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale and bought for £35,000 by Peter and Ross Doyle on behalf of Amo Racing, whose successful day continued with victory in the following race for juvenile Persian Dreamer, a second winner for Calyx (GB).

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Dubai Mile Put Through His Paces Over The Rowley Mile

Group 1 winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) galloped over the Rowley Mile in Newmarket on Wednesday. The Ahmad Al Shaikh silksbearer is being primed for a possible start in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas over this course on May 6.

Trained by Charlie Johnston, the 3-year-old was originally pencilled in for the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dante S. at York in mid-May, but connections are weighing the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero's chances in the run-up to the G1 Betfred Derby on June 3.

“We've been having a debate internally all spring really regarding what is the best route for this horse,” said Johnston. “We're pretty confident his optimum trip this year will be a mile and a half plus and you can see in his work there that he's not travelling hard on the bridle behind the other horse. He's a very laid-back horse who is behind the bridle and his last furlong is his best furlong.

“But, having won a Group 1 as a 2-year-old, your route to the Derby is narrowed down quite dramatically. You either have to have to step down in grade or you have to go to the Guineas. From an early point it's been either Guineas-Derby or Dante-Derby. The way they're in the calendar this year running in all three is pretty unrealistic.

“I've spent most of the spring leaning on the side that he should be going Dante-Derby, but Ahmad is always keen to take on a challenge and take the ambitious route–and when you've got a Group 1-winning 2-year-old, the reality is winning the Dante is not going to add anything to this horse's stallion profile, whereas finishing third in the Guineas would be a big asset to him.”

The chestnut won at second asking over a mile at Windsor last August and added an all-weather mile contest at Kempton later that month. Second over the Guineas course and distance in the G2 Royal Lodge S. in September behind Thursday's G3 bet365 Craven S. entry The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the son of Beach Bunny (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) thrived in the heavy going at Saint-Cloud in his top-level score a month later.

Johnston added, “We're all well aware that this horse is being trained and going to be campaigned as a top-class mile-and-a-half horse, it's just what we do in the early season to get him there.

“I'd love a soft ground Guineas, then he really would be a player because we know he handles testing conditions, and one asset you can never take for granted here is he's run over the course and distance. Danny says you don't even notice the dip on him, he just floats down it and out the other side. The Guineas is not a race you go into as a prep race, but if he was running in many ways it would be a prep race for the Derby.”

Also taking a spin over the course on Wednesday was the Charlie Hills-trained two-for-two Circero's Gift (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) with Kieran Shoemark at the controls. The Rosehill Racing-owned colt worked in company with stablemate Saratoga Gold (GB) (Mayson {GB}) under Michael Hills, however, his participation in the Newmarket Classic is not definite. He won both his Newbury debut last autumn, and a Wolverhampton all-weather affair on Mar. 30.

“He worked well and had a nice little blow afterwards as well actually, so it was just what we wanted I think,” said Hills. “He's obviously had two starts and two wins and we're just trying to feel our way really and see exactly where we are and find out a bit more about him. Today he behaved great, had a nice bit of work and did what we asked him.

“We didn't really want to run in a trial and put three quick races into him. It's going to be a long season, so we'll just try to keep him as fresh as we can.

“We'll see how the week unfolds with the trials and make a decision next week. There is a conditions race at Goodwood around the same weekend as the Guineas, so that could be another route to take, but I'm pretty open-minded at the moment.

“He's a nice horse and there's only one Guineas, isn't there? If we decide against it you've got Goodwood and the Dante at York and the [G3] Hampton Court [S.] at Royal Ascot, something like that. I think I could see him stepping him up in trip later in the year.”

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National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Presents A Tremendous Machine

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's historic 1973 Triple Crown sweep, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will present traveling and onsite exhibitions honoring the accomplishments and enduring legacy of the famed Meadow Stable colt from May through October. The exhibitions are underwritten by Churchill Downs, Inc., the Maryland Jockey Club, the New York Racing Association, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the Virginia Equine Alliance, Dean Dorton Equine, and Godolphin.

A Tremendous Machine: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Secretariat's Triple Crown will journey the same path Secretariat did to become America's ninth Triple Crown winner. The unique traveling exhibit will open at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., for Kentucky Derby week May 3-6; advance to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore for Preakness Stakes festivities May 18-20; and conclude its Triple Crown tour at the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, N.Y., June 8-11.

Following its Triple Crown travels, a more comprehensive exhibition of A Tremendous Machine will open to the public July 13 at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, coinciding with opening day at Saratoga Race Course. At the conclusion of the Saratoga racing season, A Tremendous Machine will travel to Colonial Downs in Secretariat's home state of Virginia for closing weekend at the New Kent-based track Sept. 7-9. The onsite exhibition at the Museum will remain on view through Oct. 29.

The traveling version of A Tremendous Machine will feature Secretariat's 1973 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and Triple Crown trophies. A video component of the exhibition will take fans through Secretariat's unique journey in which he set speed records in each of the Triple Crown races and tell the stories of the people who guided the horse through his remarkable career.

“It is an honor to share the awe-inspiring story of Secretariat and the people around him on this golden anniversary of horse racing's greatest test, the Triple Crown,” said Jessica Cloer, the National Museum of Racing's curator. “We hope that everyone will have an opportunity to visit the exhibition at the Museum or at one of the tracks as we bring the incomparable story of the great Secretariat to both longtime and new fans of the sport.”

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Traveling and Onsite Exhibitions to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown Win

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s historic 1973 Triple Crown sweep, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will present traveling and onsite exhibitions honoring the accomplishments and enduring legacy of the famed Meadow Stable colt from May through October.