Dual-Purpose Prospect Cavern Club Tops Tattersalls March Sale

Cavern Club (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) (lot 58), a two-time winner for Marco Botti, brought a sale-topping price of 32,000gns at the Tattersalls March Sale on Wednesday.

Consigned by Botti's Prestige Place, Cavern Club was in competitive action at Southwell last week when he finished third in an 11-furlong handicap from a BHA mark of 80. He is the first foal out of the unraced New Approach (Ire) mare Merseybeat (GB), a half-sister to the Listed winner and Group 3-placed Twist 'N' Shake (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

The four-year-old Cavern Club was sold to trainer James Owen, who said, “He can take us to a lot of places. He will go hurdling and has been bought as a nice dual-purpose horse. Ribchester is getting a few jumpers now. This horse won't be long in running and has been bought on spec.”

A National Hunt career also beckons for the Godolphin-consigned Eastern Whisper (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 67) after she sold to Jack Cantillon for 28,000gns.

The unraced three-year-old filly is out of the Group 3-placed Jollify (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), who is herself a half-sister to the Ebor H. and November H. winner Litigant (GB) (Sinndar {Ire}). Their dam is the dual Group 3 winner Jomana (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), who was bought by the Cantillon family under the banner of their Tinnakill House for just €7,500 at the 2013 Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale.

“My theory was I would have to pay triple for a filly of this quality in a few months at the store sales, so I thought I would get in early as she's unraced and eligible for bumpers,” Cantillon said of Eastern Whisper.

“It's a family I know well and love–our family own the granddam and we also have Ellen Kelly in the second dam who is in training with Willie Mullins. I haven't decided on a trainer yet, but it will be one of our leading National Hunt trainers at Syndicates.Racing.”

A total of seven lots sold for at least 20,000gns, with the three-year-old Perfect View (GB) (Outstrip {GB}) (lot 75) standing out as the pick of the rest having been bought by J. D. Moore–on behalf of client Hussain Al Dossary–for 27,000gns.

Consigned by George Scott's Eve Lodge Stables, Perfect View finished first or second in each of his three starts for his previous connections, including a debut victory in a six-furlong maiden at Windsor last May.

“The horse goes to the Middle East,” said Moore. “He has shown form on the all-weather, has been consistent and has been well handled by George Scott, who recommended him. Hussain has been lucky with his purchases at Tattersalls.”

Of the 60 lots offered, 47 sold (78%) for a gross of 389,000gns. The average was 8,277gns and the median was 4,500gns.

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1/ST Technology Pairs With Bet365

1/ST TECHNOLOGY has partnered with Tier-1 operator bet365 to deliver horse racing to that company's U.S. customers via 1/ST BET, The Stronach Group said in a Wednesday release.

The partnership will power the stateside launch of bet365's Advance Deposit Wagering on horse racing, across web and mobile app channels, in U.S. jurisdictions where ADW is accepted.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to partner with one of the premier brands in sports betting and for 1/ST BET to showcase its best-in-class pari-mutuel horse racing wagering experience to bet365's customers,” said Keith Johnson, Chief Revenue Officer, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY.

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Japan’s Big Guns Take To the Meydan Turf

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — In the form of Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), Japan is liable to field the favourites for the distance turf races at Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting and those two gallopers, as well as several of their compatriots, did fast work over the Meydan course Wednesday morning.

Do Deuce would likely have been at the top of the markets for last year's G1 Dubai Turf, but was withdrawn in the days leading up to the race, helping pave the way for a third consecutive victory by Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The reigning G1 Arima Kinen scorer was one of the first onto the track just after 5am Wednesday morning and quickened up nicely down the stretch (see below).

Though he clearly possesses the scope to see out a longer trip, connections have instead chosen the nine-furlong distance of the Dubai Turf.

“I considered the Sheema Classic as well and we discussed it with Yutaka Take,” trainer Yasuo Tomomichi said during a Wednesday press conference. “The Sheema Classic tends to be a race which benefits the front-runners or those with a good position. For Do Deuce's racing style, we both agreed that the Dubai Turf is a race where horses can win from anywhere.”

 

 

Japanese gallopers have won five of the last nine renewals of the Dubai Turf, including Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who dead-heated with Lord North in 2022. The Tomomichi-trained Vivlos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was victorious in 2017 with Joao Moreira up.

Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) have scooped the last two renewals of the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, and Liberty Island has her claims to make it three on the trot and six overall, dating back to Stay Gold (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) in 2001.

Last seen finishing five lengths adrift of Equinox and just ahead of fellow G1 Yushun Himba heroine Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the G1 Japan Cup in late November, Liberty Island wasn't asked for much, but ran on nicely Wednesday morning, with Yuga Kawada along for the ride.

“This is her first time travelling internationally and all has gone well so far,” said Kawada. “It was a good gallop this morning and we are happy.”

Added stable representative Yuya Katayama: “Everything went perfectly and according to plan. She switched on when Yuga Kawada rode her today. Today was just about keeping her condition, that's it–nothing more.”

Christophe Lemaire teamed up once again with Stars on Earth, second in the Arima Kinen last time, and said: “I gradually sped up in her breeze this morning. She remained calm throughout and reacted very well. Her condition is great and the ground in Dubai suits her. Stars On Earth is a very easy horse to ride and I am confident about her this weekend.”

Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who beat the boys in the G1 Mile Championship and was third to Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and the re-opposing Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, prepped for the Dubai Turf when galloping over 600 metres behind Liberty Island and Stars on Earth.

Shahryar also had a turf gallop as he looks for a second Sheema Classic in three years, as did Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), runner-up in last year's Dubai Turf. Cristian Demuro rides Shahryar, while Moreira has a return assignment aboard Danon Beluga.

 

 

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DWC Trackside Report: Catnip Me-‘Wow’-ing Them At Meydan

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — With over 100 of the world's most talented gallopers on hand, it isn't easy to stand out, but John and Susan Moore's G1 Dubai Turf hopeful Catnip (Kitten's Joy) has done just that at Meydan this week.

A strapping, nearly-black gelding, Catnip exits a longshot, but close third to Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 27. Trainer Mike Stidham looked at Catnip's Ragozin sheet and that encouraged him to swing for the fences in a hot renewal of the G1 Dubai Turf, bypassing a considerably easier spot in last weekend's GII Muniz Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds.

“He ran a huge new top in that race,” the freshly arrived Stidham said Wednesday. “We had a choice of running him for $300,000 or $5 million and we decided to take a shot at the $5 million and brought him over. So far, so good.”

Catnip is a half-brother to five-time U.S. graded winner Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}), who was purchased by China Horse Club for $1.7 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2022 and went on to win a Group 3 while posting a pair of narrowly beaten seconds in Group 1 company in Australia for trainer Chris Waller.

 

 

 

On his last visit to Meydan, Stidham saddled 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) to a victory in the 2021 Dubai World Cup.

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's GI Pegasus World Cup third Crupi (Curlin) was out in the 5-6 a.m. window reserved for the international contingent, his chestnut colt gleaming under the floodlights before and after a couple of spins around the track. Repole will not be in attendance, as he will be on hand at Gulfstream Park to watch 'TDN Rising Star' and champion Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby, but here to represent the stable are Pat Cummings and a sleep-deprived Alex Solis II. You'll have to contact him for details.

The American-based, but locally owned Clapton (Brethren) is hard to miss when he comes onto the track, his orange tack and matching polos giving him absolutely no cover. After some internal discussion, the Florida-bred was given the green light for a World Cup bid, and connections are quietly confident he will fire his best shot Saturday.

Trainer Todd Fincher and owner Joe Peacock, Jr. made their way across the track to the starting gate where G1 Saudi Cup hero Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) got acquainted with the stalls before showing good energy in his track gallop. He appears a fresh horse despite his recent travels.

So popular was Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time) leading up to last year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen that a DailySibelius hashtag was created on X. By the looks of it, he's grown his fan club and is always good for hamming it up at the outside fence beneath his adoring work rider Allyson Walker.

 

 

 

Also making a good impression was fellow Golden Shaheen entrant Nakatomi (Firing Line), a rare Dubai runner for trainer Wesley Ward. Hopkins (Quality Road), beaten just a length into fourth by Sibelius last year, went through his gears down the lane Wednesday.

Gander S. winner Pandagate (Arrogate) was led onto the track by assistant trainer Miguel Clement, with his wife Acacia Clement not far behind. The New York-bred gray–his late sire's literal body double–stood for what felt like an eternity on the outside rail before taking off around Meydan and wrapping things up with a visit to the gate.

Caramel Chip (Midshipman) looks to have it all to do against the likes of Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) and Isolate (Mark Valeski) in Saturday's G2 Godolphin Mile, but win, lose or draw, the Jose D'Angelo trainee looks to be doing as well as he could be ahead of the $1-million contest.

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