The most exciting week of every year in horse racing is upon us, and all eyes are laser-focused on Churchill Downs as 3-year-old Thoroughbreds prepare to run in the 149th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on Saturday, May 6.
Month: May 2023
Saxon Warrior’s Greenland Prevails In Greffulhe Thriller
Aidan O'Brien trainee Greenland (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}–Aktoria {Fr}, by Canford Cliffs {Ire}) lined up for Monday's G3 Prix Greffulhe coming back off a third in last month's G3 Prix La Force at ParisLongchamp and dipped into deep reserves to prevail in a thrilling finish to the 10 1/2-furlong test. He had concluded a five-race juvenile campaign with a fourth in Newmarket's Sept. 24 G2 Royal Lodge S. in his penultimate start and stalked the pace in second for the most part. Readied for his challenge passing the quarter-mile marker, he joined long-time leader Harry Way (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) approaching the final furlong and was driven out to deny that tenacious opponent by a nose in a nip-and-tuck tussle.
“He is a physically imposing colt who, gave me a great feeling going to post on the dirt surface,” said winning rider Christophe Soumillon. “It wasn't easy on that very soft ground today, which is why I didn't want to come too late and I anticipated the move early in the straight. He will come on for that and no doubt that he will be among the favourites for the [G1 Prix du] Jockey Club.” Coolmore representative Hermine Bastide added, “We are very happy to win as it is quite important for Saxon Warrior. Soft ground is not what he prefers and, all being well, he will come back to France for the Prix du Jockey Club.”
Pedigree Notes
Greenland, who becomes the fourth pattern-race winner for his second-crop sire, is the third of five foals and one of two scorers for Listed Prix Six Perfections victrix Aktoria (Fr) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}). Aktoria is kin to G3 Prix d'Arenberg third Galaktea (Ire) (Statue of Liberty), the dual stakes-placed Now You're Talking (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and to the dam of stakes-winning GII Santa Ana S. placegetter Sweet Charity (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}). Greenland's stakes-winning third dam Epagris (GB) (Zalazl), who also ran second in the G3 Nell Gwyn S., is the leading performer for Trikymia (Final Straw {GB}) and thus hails from the family of G1 Irish Derby-winning sire Tyrnavos (GB) (Blakeney {GB}), G1 Dewhurst S. hero Tromos (GB) (Busted {GB}) and G1 Middle Park S. victor Tachypous (GB) (Hotfoot {GB}). Aktoria also has the unraced 2-year-old colt Benimaru (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Starspangledbanner (Aus) to come.
Monday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX GREFFULHE-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 5-1, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:17.86, vsf.
1–GREENLAND (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Saxon Warrior (Jpn)
1st Dam: Aktoria (Fr) (SW-Fr), by Canford Cliffs (Ire)
2nd Dam: Granadilla (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: Epagris (GB), by Zalazl
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (160,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 300,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Werterberg; B-SCEA Marmion Vauville & Alain Jathiere (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Christophe Soumillon. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 7-2-1-1, €82,353. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Harry Way (Fr), 128, g, 3, Galiway (GB)–Miss Vinga (Fr), by High Rock (Ire). O-Le Haras de la Gousserie & Robert Bonaventure; B-Robert Bonaventure (FR); T-Nicolas Perret. €16,000.
3–Rashford (Fr), 128, c, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Randium (Fr), by Sinndar (Ire). O/B-Friedrich Hodel (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €12,000.
Margins: NO, 1 1/4, 3. Odds: 1.20, 3.10, 4.60.
Also Ran: Zalamo (Fr), Fortune (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.
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Howden Steps In as Major Sponsor of Guineas Festival
Insurance broker Howden has extended its backing of British racing with mass sponsorship at this weekend's Guineas meeting at Newmarket.
While QIPCO retains the sponsorship of the first two Classics of the season, the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas, the Howden name is now attached to 13 races across the Saturday and Sunday of the three-day fixture that kicks off the QIPCO British Champions Series. These include the G2 Howden Dahlia S. and G3 Howden Palace House S.
David Howden, who was profiled last year in TDN, is the founder of the global insurance group that bears his name and has a growing presence in the racing world as both owner and breeder. His company has a five-year deal as an official partner of Royal Ascot and it was also recently announced that Frankie Dettori would be a brand ambassador for Howden in the jockey's final year of race-riding.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with The Jockey Club for The QIPCO Guineas Festival,” said David Howden, who is also the company's chief executive. “The excitement of top-class juvenile horses making their debuts, alongside the return of some of last year's stars, is always eagerly anticipated. And there are few races more prestigious in the British racing calendar than the QIPCO 1000 and 2000 Guineas. This sponsorship further enables Howden to build on our equine industry relationships, and continue our support of racing and its stakeholders.”
Sophie Able, manager and international director of Newmarket Racecourses, added, “The team at Newmarket Racecourses is delighted to be partnering with a brand of Howden's standing and commitment to British racing for our premier fixture of the year.
“We are counting down the final days to what should be a historic QIPCO Guineas Festival with the Coronation of King Charles III and some of exceptional Flat racing, and we look forward to working with our partners at Howden next weekend.”
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Tahiyra On Course For 1000 Guineas But Slipofthepen Ruled Out Of Newmarket
Dermot Weld's Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) features among the 22 confirmations for the Qipco 1000 Guineas on Sunday. However, the King and Queen Consort's Slipofthepen (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) will not run in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt was a 20-1 chance for the opening Classic of the season but did not feature among the 15 confirmations that featured the Aidan O'Brien-trained Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never).
Speaking on Nick Luck's Daily Podcast, the King's racing manager John Warren said, “I think we were all hoping for that to be the case [that Slipofthepen would run in the 2000 Guineas], especially because it would have been both the King and the Queen Consort's first Classic runner.
“But I think once we pieced all the jigsaw together and really analysed his prospects, I think we thought it's come a little bit too soon. He's an inexperienced horse who is only just learning how to use his legs as fast as he needs to.
“He's won two races on the all-weather impressively and John Gosden thinks he's up to becoming a high-class performer, [but] when we added it all together we felt it would be kinder to the horse to give him a little bit more experience.”
Weld also told Nick Luck about how he was leaning towards running Tahiyra at Newmarket on Sunday. A general 7-2 chance for Classic glory, Tahiyra was a brilliant winner of the G1 Moyglare S. at the Curragh when last seen at two.
“We've left her in at the forfeit stage for the 1000 Guineas on Sunday and the present plan is that she will run,” Weld said on Monday.
He added, “But we will make a definite decision later in the week–we'll see how she is. She's coming all the time and is a filly who hasn't really grown from two to three but I am happy. I think she has progressed nicely over the past two weeks and the present thought is that we'll let her take her chance.”
O'Brien's Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was beaten by Tahiyra in the Moyglare before landing the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filles Turf, is also on course for Newmarket. She could be joined by Ballydoyle stablemate Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
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