Pyro Leads Darley Japan Roster, Which Features Quartet Of New Recruits

The 14-strong Darley Japan roster and fees for 2024 were announced on Thursday morning.

Leading the way with a ¥4 million fee is GI Forego S. victor Pyro, who is standing his 14th season in Japan. The sire of eight stakes winners is joined by former American-based transplants Palace Malice and Yoshida (Jpn), who will stand for ¥3.5 million and ¥1.5 million, respectively. Palace Malice, a GI Belmont S.-winning half-brother to Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Iron Barows (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) who will face off in Sunday's G1 Arima Kinen, sired his second top-level winner, the Asahi Hai Futurity S. hero Jantar Mantar (Jpn), just this past weekend.

The other pair of newcomers will be standing their first seasons in 2024, with G1 Derby and G1 King George hero Adayar (Ire) priced at ¥1.8 million. The 2023 King George winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a full-brother to the crack miler Baaeed (GB), is priced at ¥1.2 million.

The complete roster and fees for Darley Japan are as follows:

  • Pyro, ¥4 million
  • Palace Malice, ¥3.5 million
  • Thunder Snow (Ire), ¥2 million
  • Fine Needle (Jpn), ¥1.8 million
  • Adayar (Ire), ¥1.8 million
  • Yoshida (Jpn), ¥1.5 million
  • Tower Of London (Jpn), ¥1.5 million
  • American Patriot, ¥1.5 million
  • Will Take Charge, ¥1.2 million
  • Talismanic (GB), ¥1.2 million
  • Hukum (Ire), ¥1.2 million
  • Hawkbill, ¥500,000
  • Furioso (Jpn), ¥500,000
  • Admire Moon (Jpn), private.

 

Shotaro Kajiya, Darley Japan nominations manager, said, “We are proud to announce the addition of four new stallions next season, two from Europe and two from the U.S., making for an attractive line-up covering a wide variety of bloodlines and racing categories. We would like to thank you for the many applications we have already received, especially for Palace Malice, who is rapidly gaining popularity.

“Next year will also be an important year with the debut of Tower Of London's first crop, who is highly regarded by all. We will continue to strive to meet the expectations of owners and breeders by introducing the best stallions from around the world while offering attractive terms.

“We look forward to your continued generous support.”

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Derby Winner Adayar Joins Hukum At Darley Japan Next Year

Godolphin's G1 Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}–Anna Salai, by Dubawi {Ire}) will join Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) at Darley Japan for stallion duty in 2024, Darley announced on Thursday. Fees for the G1 King George-winning duo will be revealed later.

The first horse to win the Derby and the King George in the same year since his paternal grandsire Galileo (Ire), Adayar was retired in July.

The bay broke his maiden by nine lengths at Nottingham at second asking at two for Charlie Appleby, and was group-placed prior to winning the 2021 Derby at Epsom before adding the King George in his next start. In two starts at four, he was second in the G1 Champion S., and resumed this term with a victory in the G3 Gordon Richards S. in May. After a third-placed run in the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot, he concluded his career with a second in the G2 Princess Of Wales's S. at Newbury in July. Overall, he earned $2,553,575 and boasts a record of 13-5-4-1.

A full-brother to the stakes winner Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Adayar is out of G3 Prix de la Grotte winner Anna Salai, who also ran second in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. His dam is a half-sister to stakes winners Iguazu Falls (Pivotal {GB}) and Advice (GB) (Seeking The Gold), who both placed at group level. He is also kin to G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), among others.

Hukum, a full-brother to the brilliant miler Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) won nine stakes races for his owner/breeder Shadwell, including the 2023 King George and the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom. His female family features Shadwell blue hen Height Of Fashion (Fr) (Bustino {GB}).

Harry Sweeney, president of Darley in Japan said, “We are really excited to be able to stand two brilliant stallions in Japan, Derby winner Adayar by Europe's leading stallion Frankel, and King George winner Hukum by Sea The Stars. We hope that these excellent bloodlines will not only succeed in Japan, but also spread to Europe and the rest of the world. We look forward to welcoming you to view these stallions.”

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Israr Eclipses Adayar In Newmarket’s Thursday Feature

The odds for Thursday's Kingdom of Bahrain-sponsored G2 Princess of Wales's S. suggested a measure of redemption was in store for Derby and King George hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), but Shadwell's former handicapper and 7-2 second favourite Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}–Taghrooda {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) confounded those in possession of 1-3 tickets with a power-packed display of his own to claim a career best in the 12-furlong feature. The eventual winner slipstreamed Godolphin duo Global Storm (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Adayar through the early fractions and eased outside into an echelon formation in readiness for his bid passing halfway. Moving into second with three furlongs remaining, he was pushed to the front going into “the dip” and lengthened clear in impressive fashion up the hill to easily assert superiority by 4 1/2 lengths. Adayar was unable to match the winner's kick up the hill, finishing a well-beaten second. Stablemate Global Storm was 7 1/2 lengths further adrift in third.

Israr, who attained 'TDN Rising Star' status tackling one mile at Doncaster on debut in 2021, snagged two of six handicap outings last year and opened this campaign with runner-up finishes in May's G3 Aston Park S. at Newbury and in last month's Listed Grand Cup at York.

“We ran him at York over a mile-and-six, he took on a good stayer [Quickthorn] that day and it was a mistake as it was too far,” explained John Gosden after collecting a third renewal. “They have gone strong fractions today and they are not far off a track record. It was a great performance, he coped with the good-to-firm ground and it was the best performance of his life. I expected him to run well today, but I didn't expect him to beat Adayar like that. He is improving, but I don't want to rush him in any big races like the [G1] King George. I think it would be too soon and too quick after a performance like that. I'd like to try and box a bit more cleverly than that. If we space his races he will be a nice horse right the way through to the [G1] Sheema Classic next year. I do have plans, but I've not got them organised yet so I will have to get the old [programme] book out.”

It was a first triumph in the race for rider Jim Crowley, who added, “He didn't quite get home last time at York, but he is probably only just coming to himself now. He has a very good personality and is very laid back, but he is tough and tries hard. As soon as I got upsides Adayar at the two pole I pretty much knew we had got him beat. It looks as though a mile-and-a-half is definitely his trip. He is a big, strong horse that is getting better with racing and age and is a work in progress.”

Reflecting on a sub-par performance from Adayar, trainer Charlie Appleby said, “Will [Buick] was happy throughout the race and when he made the move we thought he'd go and put it to bed. To be fair to Israr, he came under the pump before we did and we thought we had got him at it. He was disappointing when he hit the rising ground and just emptied out. We'll get him home and see what the vitals say after the race, but it wasn't the ground. He's won on quick ground before so I'm not going to use that as an excuse and we'll see if anything comes out in the wash.”

Pedigree Notes
Israr becomes the first pattern-race scorer, from two winners, produced by G1 Oaks and G1 King George S. & Queen Elizabeth S. heroine Taghrooda (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who also hit the board in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Taghrooda is the leading performer for multiple stakes-winning G2 Lancashire Oaks second Ezima (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), herself a daughter of the unraced Ezilla (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}). Descendants of Ezilla include Group 1-winning siblings Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Edabiya (Ire) (Rainbow Quest). Taghrooda has the unraced 2-year-old filly Taraneem (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and a yearling colt by Lope De Vega (Ire) to come.

 

Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
PRINCESS OF WALES'S S. (SPONSORED BY THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN)-G2, £125,000, Newmarket, 7-13, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:27.33, g/f.
1–ISRAR (GB), 134, c, 4, by Muhaarar (GB)
1st Dam: Taghrooda (GB) (MG1SW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $2,404,603), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ezima (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Ezilla (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. £70,888. Lifetime Record: 11-4-3-3, $243,660. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Adayar (Ire), 134, h, 5, Frankel (GB)–Anna Salai, by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £26,875.
3–Global Storm (Ire), 137, g, 6, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Travel, by Street Cry (Ire). (200,000gns Wlg '17 TATFOA; 260,000gns 2yo '19 TATBRE). O-Godolphin; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £13,450.
Margins: 4HF, 7HF, 9. Odds: 3.50, 0.33, 18.00.
Also Ran: Grand Alliance (Ire).

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Royal Ascot: Prepare For Battle Royal In The Prince Of Wales’s

Arguably the week's most momentous race, Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S. is as tight as it gets between a trio of hardcore middle-distance soldiers from all the right establishments. From Moulton Paddocks' 2021 Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to Freemason Lodge's Champion S. winner Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) to Ballydoyle's Irish Champion hero Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), this renewal could come down to small margins and tactical decisions, much as it did last year. Not yet a Group 1 winner, but so obviously an imminent one, the William Haggas-trained My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) is right in there too and should he take this back to Somerville Lodge there will be no hint of surprise anywhere.

Perhaps this Prince of Wales's will be more about these horses' weaknesses than their strengths, with any cracks sure to be exposed by the other three in what promises to be a showcase for the sport's competitive elite. Aidan O'Brien and his collective have had to endure as much disappointment as joy with Luxembourg so far, with physical ailments taking him out of last year's Derby picture and leading to his no-show in the Arc. With the master of Ballydoyle, the real story is usually read between the lines of his comments, particularly post-race, and significantly this colt was described as “not for kids” by him following his courageous all-the-way Tattersalls Gold Cup triumph last time. That brought up his stable's 400th top-level winner since it started in motion in June 1993 and you get the sense that this is the latest in a line of those to emanate from Rosegreen with a disposition of granite.

Adayar, who provided Frankel with his first Derby winner before bringing the King George back into the Classic-crop conversation here two years ago, has had his own spell in the wilderness only to bounce back from adversity. So close to winning the Champion here in October, this mighty thoroughbred has enjoyed a far smoother preparation in 2023 and will carry the aspirations of all those Derby worshippers out there.

Bay Bridge, who can be seen as at least a moral dead-heater of this 12 months ago once study of the sectionals is carried out, probably needs more rain for this race to breach a tipping point away from the others. That said, even on a sound surface this is a valid member of a list of rarities cultivated down the decades by racing's ace horticulturalist Sir Michael Stoute. Despite losing Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) out of the picture, the trainer's assistant trainer James Savage is under no illusions as to what is required on Wednesday afternoon. “The mile-and-a-quarter division is as strong as I have seen,” he stated.

Wednesday opens customarily with the G2 Queen Mary S., where the Karl Burke stable responsible for last year's tour de force Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) is the most feared once again by bookies and opponents alike thanks to the Nottingham effort of Beautiful Diamond (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}). “I'm hoping she will be there in a ding-dong,” commented Bruce Raymond, racing manager for her owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. “The timing of the race is tight from her run at Nottingham, but really that's an after-the-race excuse.” One of Royal Ascot's top sires Dark Angel supplies the yard's other key hope, the Listed Marygate Fillies' S. winner Got To Love A Grey (GB), as well as the Richard Fahey-trained Hilary Needler Trophy scorer Midnight Affair (Ire) as England's re-emerging North maintains its high standards.

This is no ordinary Queen Mary, with added spice provided by a big US presence not just about Wesley Ward but also George Weaver and Thomas Morley. The good news for all is that we get to see Johnny Velazquez, Joel Rosario and Javier Castellano and possibly Irad Ortiz, Jr. too if he gets over the ill-timed bout of food poisoning that ruled him out of Tuesday's action. Flying the TDN Rising Star standard is Laurence Holder's Yarmouth winner Born To Rock (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}).

In the G2 Duke of Cambridge S., Frankie renews his partnership with Andrew Rosen and Marc Chan's G3 Princess Elizabeth S. winner Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), despite the Gosdens saddling last year's G1 Sun Chariot S. third Grande Dame (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Is that a clue? Chan's racing manager Jamie McCalmont said of Prosperous Voyage, who upset Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Falmouth S. last July. “It's a bit different competition to Epsom here, but she didn't have a hard race there and that should set her up for a good performance.” Grande Dame gives Doreen Tabor a strong hand, with the G3 Valiant S. scorer Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) sporting the first colours from Owning Hill having cost 1.25million gns at Tatts December.

Frankie's unbeaten Listed Cocked Hat S.-winning mount Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) is a big deal for Wathnan Racing in the G2 Queen's Vase, where the Royal colours are carried by the Stoute runner Circle Of Fire (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}). This race also marks a landmark moment for the Crisfords as they saddle their first runner for Godolphin after the operation acquired the well-touted Chesspiece (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

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