D. J. Stable and Robert Cotran's Hades (Awesome Slew), coming off a win in the Feb. 3 GIII Holy Bull S., tuned up for an expected start in the Mar. 30 GI Curlin Florida Derby with a five-furlong work in 1:00.34 (2/14) Sunday at Gulfstream Park. The gelding worked in company with 3-year-old maiden Halon (Flameaway).
“It was what I call a 'Wow!' work,” trainer Joe Orseno said. “I put a horse in front of him to have a horse to run at a little bit. At the quarter-pole, I told both riders to ask their horses. If the other horse ran away from him, I needed to know that. The rider on the inside horse said when he asked, his horse responded and found another gear, and Hades ran by him so fast it's kind of ridiculous.”
Orseno added, “I've got him galloping out the mile in 1:42. Horses don't do that.”
Although the Mar. 2 GII Fountain of Youth was scratched down to just five horses when heavily favored Speak Easy (Constitution) unseated his rider in his pre-race warm-up, Orseno hasn't questioned his decision to bypass the final local prep for the Florida Derby with Hades.
“For me, my horse didn't have that look in his eye that he had until two days before the Fountain of Youth, when I could say, 'Wow: The way he feels now, maybe I should have been in there.' Never did I think that I did the wrong thing,” Orseno said. “He has a big future, so we're not looking at just the next two races, the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. We're looking down the road, too. You've got to pick and choose your spots.”
Hades is unbeaten in three starts. He debuted with a win at Gulfstream in early December and added an allowance victory in Hallandale at the end of the month. He defeated Domestic Product (Practical Joke) by two lengths in the Holy Bull and the form of that race was flattered when the runner-up returned to win the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Saturday.
“He didn't win by much, but he did get up to win, so I think that complimented us a little bit,” Orseno said of the Tampa Bay Derby finish.
Sunday's breeze was Hades' final serious preparation for the Florida Derby.
“Next week he's going to open gallop. He's not even going to breeze. And then he'll just have a little something the next week, so today was his major prep,” Orseno said.
Five months after the passing of owner Howard Liang, California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) recaptured some of his best form to post a front-running upset in Sunday's G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse. In going one better in the 1400-metre contest than last year, the 6-year-old punched his ticket to Dubai for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint over a straight 1200-metre trip Mar. 30.
Having bested Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the 2022 G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, the €150,000 Goffs Orby acquisition won the G2 Sha Tin Trophy H. with 135 pounds on his back last October, but was was well-beaten in his next four starts. He beat just one home in defence of his Mile title in December and was last seen finishing fourth to the G1 Dubai Turf-bound Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) in the G1 Stewards Cup Jan. 21. His 10-1 starting price was the longest of his 24-race career and he rewarded those who kept the faith on a rainy Sunday afternoon in the New Territories.
Brenton Avdulla was at the controls for the first time, and he was after California Spangle from the bell to secure the front, as Healthy Happy (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) ranged up to apply a bit of pressure. Able to control the pace through the middle furlongs while clocking sectional times well outside standard, the bay turned for home full of run and never looked like surrendering the lead thereafter. The progressive Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}) flashed home in a race-fastest :22.15 to claim second ahead of the rail-skimming Red Lion (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) in third.
Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) drifted from $1.80 (4-5) to jump as the $2.20 (6-5) favourite, and was snagged back to the rear by James McDonald after getting bumped around a bit by Beauty Eternal (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) down the back. He got going early while wide on the turn and finished off reasonably well, but too late to be fifth, 1 1/2 lengths adrift.
“It (victory) means everything, this horse was very important to the late Howard Liang,” said trainer Tony Cruz, who won the Queen's Silver Jubilee for the first time with the legendary Silent Witness (Aus) in 2005. “He bought the horse and I'm so glad he has won another Group 1. He is the best horse Howard raced and the exciting part of today is that California Spangle had to perform to go to Dubai–and now he's heading to Dubai and everybody is thrilled about it.”
California Spangle and Voyage Bubble are set to be joined on the trip to Dubai by Straight Arron (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}, Dubai Turf) and Sight Success (Aus) (Magnus {Aus}), who will look to improve on his fourth-place effort in the 2023 Al Quoz. According to South China Morning Post, Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will contest the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic if connections are extended an invitation.
Pedigree Notes:
A half-brother to the late Wychwood Warrior, who was third in a listed stakes going 1400 metres on the turf at Meydan for this breeder and trainer Mick Halford in 2015, California Spangle is out of a half-sister to G2 Hungerford S. and G3 Solario S. winner Shakespearean (Ire) (Shamardal). California Spangle's third dam produced French Group 3 winner and G1 Pouliches runner-up Pont-Aven (Ire) (Try My Best), whose offspring include MGSW/MG1SP Sainte Marine (Ire) (Kenmare {Fr}), MGSW Josr Algarhound (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), SW & MGSP Traou Mad (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and SW & MGSP Cap Coz (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}).
Pearlitas Passion is also the dam of the unraced 4-year-old filly Alchimia (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and a 2-year-old full-brother to California Spangle that was unsold on a bid of €400,000 at last year's Orby Sale.
“I came in May with an expectation to probably do 10 weeks and go home.”
Richard Hannon has said there is not one horse that he would swap Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) for and reported the Group 1 winner to be firmly on course for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 4.
Previously described as “right up there with the best we've ever had” by his handler, Rosallion is a general 8-1 chance for Classic glory at Newmarket.
His big day in the sun last year came when storming to G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere glory and confidence is clearly high in the camp that Rosallion can give short-priced 2,000 Guineas favourite City Of Troy (Justify) something to think about.
Hannon said, “Rosallion is in great form and he's had a canter upsides Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) on the grass. Timmy Murphy rides him every day and was delighted with him. It wasn't a massively informative piece of work but it was just one of those where we thought we would give him a little bit while it was a nice morning and the grass is nice.”
He added, “I would like to give him a trial, but I won't run him anywhere where there is soft ground. He could just go straight to the 2,000 Guineas. I'm going to take him to either Kempton or Newbury two or three weeks before the trials, so if he does go straight to the Guineas, he will be plenty quick enough. My view of him hasn't changed–there is not a horse I would rather have other than him.”
Yes, I know. It's a bit early for this, isn't it? We usually have a strict No-Seven-Days rule until the week after the Brocklesby but this winter has dragged on and on and I just can't wait any longer.
We have the small matter of the Cheltenham Festival to get through this week, and we'll be giving it our full attention, but as we have counted down the days to the 'The Roar' it has been impossible to ignore the sneaky French getting their Turf season underway with a couple of Listed races at Saint-Cloud. And what better way to usher the Flat back in than with last season's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) exhibiting that he retains plenty of zest for racing with his victory in the Listed Prix Altipan? We may see him back in action as soon as the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc on Easter Monday as he gears up for a tilt at the G1 Prix d'Ispahan.
Marhaba Ya Sanafa's sire Muhaarar (GB) is now ensconced in his new home of Haras de Petit Tellier and has already been represented this year by the G2 1351 Turf Sprint winner Annaf (Ire) on Saudi Cup night.
On the subject of returning Classic winners, Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) won Saturday's Listed Randwick City S. for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott to claim his first stakes success since that extraordinary romp in the 'Covid' Derby at Epsom in 2020. It's almost unheard of for a Derby winner still to be in training at the age of seven, let alone to have been gelded.
Flags Flying High for Zoffany
Coolmore lost Zoffany (Ire) three years ago when he succumbed to liver failure at the age of just 13 ahead of the start of the 2021 covering season. Members of his final crop are now three, and they include the Jerome Reynier-trained Fun With Flags (Ire), who kept Classic hopes intact for her owner Erika Gilliar by claiming her third successive victory in the Listed Prix Rose de Mai.
Out of the Galileo (Ire) mare Marie Celeste (Ire), Fun With Flags was bred by Sonia Rogers from a family which has been at Airlie Stud for three generations and traces back to Rough Shod (GB) (Gold Bridge {Fr}) through her celebrated daughter Thong (Nantallah). The latter is in turn the dam of Special (Forli), whose offspring include Nureyev (Northern Dancer) and Sadler's Wells's dam Fairy Bridge (Bold Reason).
With entries in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane, Fun With Flags is one to follow as she attempts to become a Classic winner from her sire's farewell crop. She would be the first for her prolific trainer Reynier, who is currently behind only reigning champion Jean-Claude Rouget in the French trainers' table.
Listed Double for Scott at Home and Away
On Thursday it was a Dandy Man (Ire) gelding out of a Dark Angel (Ire) mare out in front in the Listed Spring Cup at Lingfield and 24 hours later the reverse of that cross was seen to good effect at Chantilly in the Listed Prix Maurice Cauillault.
Watch My Tracer (Ire) was the Dandy Man three-year-old in question, and he set up a thrilling 24 hours for his trainer George Scott and owners Victorious Racing with his debut success of the year, which was followed the next day by the triumph of Isle Of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the King's Cup in Bahrain.
That second Listed win was hailed by Scott as “the highlight of my career to date, miles ahead of anything else”, and it is easy to see why he would be walking on air after the winter campaign his four-year-old has had in Bahrain. Having won twice at Newmarket and Newbury last summer in for his Bahraini owners, Isle Of Jura travelled to the Gulf to compete in Bahrain's lucrative turf series and he has been a near-unstoppable force there, winning four of his five starts, including two Listed races, and finishing second, beaten a short-head, on his only other run. Pattern company back in Europe now beckons for the Godolphin-bred gelding, who is a full-brother to the treble Australian Group 1 winner Cascadian (GB).
The aforementioned Prix Maurice Cauillault was yet another strike for Jerome Reynier, trainer of the easy winner Darlinghurst (Ire), who was bred by Yeomanstown Stud and, as noted, is by their kingpin Dark Angel. It was the second stakes winner of the day for the 19-year-old stallion after Godolphin's Real World (Ire) landed the Listed Al Methaq Mile in Bahrain.
Donworth Goes Dutch
There is nothing like seeing the Chateau de Chantilly in the backdrop of races to make one feel that life is again worth living and, though Friday's card was on the Polytrack, it provided plenty of interesting pointers for the season ahead.
There won't be many Dutch-bred stakes winners this year (or ever), but Tim Donworth, once of the parish of Roundhill but now a fully assimilated French dweller, saddled the Listed Prix Montenica Skylight Brochard (Hol) who may remain unique in that regard this year.
“I think he's probably the only Thoroughbred who's been bred in Holland in the last couple of years,” Donworth told TDN. “It's worked out great. His breeders happened upon the mare, they'd never had a horse before and they've now bred this horse.”
The son of Mehmas (Ire) was bred by his owner Jill Brochard and is a full-brother to eight-time winner The Covex Kid (Ire). Their dam is Fonseca (Ire), by the late Red Clubs (Ire) who has a notable record as a broodmare sire despite his having stood for only three seasons before dying at the age of seven. His daughters have produced the Group 1 winners Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), Snow Lantern (GB) and Lezoo (GB), as well as the useful sire and Group 2 winner Ardad (Ire), Group 3 winner Spycatcher (Ire), last season's Lincoln winner Migration (Ire) and the Listed-winning half-siblings Arthur Kitt (GB) and Eartha Kitt (GB).
Like Mother, Like Son
Perhaps the largest scribble in the notebook from Friday in Chantilly was the name Dolayli (Fr) after the running of the Prix Darshaan. The Aga Khan Studs-bred son of Siyouni (Fr) and Group 1 winner Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) has won six of his eight starts, including all three of his runs this year for Francis Graffard. It is a rare Aga Khan runner that remains in training at five, but Dolayli may well repay his owner further as he is aimed at classier assignments through the spring and summer. His trainer told the Jour de Galop that he is looking at the G2 Prix d'Harcourt and considering the Ganay and perhaps even the Ispahan as potential Group 1 targets. Dolayli had the G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}) five lengths behind him in second as the latter winds up for a shot at the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic later this month.
It seems scarcely believable that it is nine years since Dolayli's dam Dolniya took the Sheema Classic herself after she too had won the Prix Darshaan, each time beating Flintshire (GB). She is now the dam of three black-type offspring, including Group 3 winner Dilawar (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Listed-placed Dolia (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Her current two-year-old is an unnamed Frankel (GB) colt who is also assigned to Graffard.
Heating Up
Darley's second-season sire Too Darn Hot (GB) has four colts and two fillies entered for the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas in May, and he may well have a Classic hope even farther afield following the victory on Sunday of Etes Vous Prets in the G2 Hochi Hai Fillies' Revue at Hanshin. The daughter of G1 Falmouth S. winner Nahoodh (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) was bred by Godolphin and exported as a yearling to Japan, where she races in the colours of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.
She is the fifth Group/Graded winner in a fourth different country for Too Darn Hot following Fallen Angel (GB), Darnation (GB), Alyanaabi (Ire) and Carolina Reaper (GB).
A Fitting 19th G1 Winner for Exceed And Excel
In the week in which the retirement was announced of successful shuttle sire Exceed And Excel (Ire) there could have been no more appropriate winner of the G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington than his son Cylinder (Aus). The Godolphin homebred became his sire's 19th Group/Grade 1 winner in the race won by Exceed And Excel 20 years ago. Following that victory he was bought by Sheikh Mohammed and became a valuable addition to the Darley stallion ranks on both sides of the globe.
We may yet see Cylinder racing in Europe, with Godolphin Australia's Nacim Dilmi suggesting after his victory that a trip to Royal Ascot in June could now be on the cards.
“I came in May with an expectation to probably do 10 weeks and go home.”
