The Group 1-winning handler has called on Horse Racing Ireland, who announced a €1.4 million increase to prize-money [to €69.4 million] for 2024 in the latest budget, not to rest on its laurels. 

Murtagh, who runs Daamberdiplomat (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) and Final Voyage (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) in valuable all-weather contests at Lingfield and Newcastle respectively on Friday, explained that, with the rising costs that have come with running a busy training yard, he needs to clear €1 million in prize-money per season. 

He also called for a €100,000 race to be run in Ireland on a weekly basis throughout the Flat season and labelled some of the purses on offer for the feature races at the Curragh and Naas in the opening weeks of the new season as “not good enough.”

The Curragh-based handler said, “We should have a 100-grand race every week in Ireland. Look at the Group 3 Devoy Stakes at Naas the other day–that should be a 100-grand  race but the winner got €23,600. The Group 3 Gladness Stakes at the Curragh was the same–the winner got just over €40,000. That's no good. How can we keep the best horses in Ireland with that sort of prize-money? If it keeps going the way that it is, we won't have those horses in Ireland.”

Murtagh added, “Take horses like Final Voyage and Daamberdiplomat, who I run at Newcastle and at Lingfield on Friday, for example. There is nothing for those horses at Dundalk. The prize-money in England is going up. The way they are going, they'll be looking down on us. “There are a lot of 50-grand races on the Flat in England now. Look at the prize-money at Newcastle, Lingfield and even Chelmsford on Friday and compare that to the final meeting of the year at Dundalk. There's no comparison. Not only that, they have the Racing League and many other valuable handicaps over in Britain. It's not the same in Ireland. HRI shouldn't be resting on its laurels.”

Murtagh sent out 41 winners domestically in 2023 and cleared the €1 million mark. In fact, he has earned over €1 million in each of the past four seasons in Ireland but admitted that he may be forced to travel horses more in future if prize-money levels remain the same on home soil.

He continued, “I'm looking at where the prize-money is now. Before, it wouldn't pay you to travel over to Britain. Nowadays, you have to travel for the prize-money. We need to stop telling ourselves how great we are in Ireland. It's very frustrating that we are buying horses to sell them in Ireland now. It shouldn't be the case that when, a horse reaches a certain level, it makes more sense to move him on because he can't win even close to what is being offered by the foreign market.  

“When you come across a horse rated 100, for example, you should be thinking, 'brilliant, I have a horse capable of paying his way for the owners this year,' but it's not the case at all. As I said, there should be a 100-grand race in Ireland every week. The prize-money just isn't good enough.”

Just four juveniles made up last year's tally of 41 winners. That number was down from 14 in 2022, eight in 2021 and seven in 2020. In an effort to boost his juvenile stats for this season, Murtagh returned to the yearling sales last year and added roughly 20 youngsters to the team on spec, most of which have now been sold.

He explained, “I didn't buy any yearlings a couple of years ago–just trained what was sent to me-and we only had four two-year-old winners last season as a result. I went and bought 20 two-year-old types at the yearling sales last year and I have most of them sold by now. The sweet spot used to be between 20 and 50 grand but it's getting harder and harder to buy those nice horses now. 

“We have a nucleus of people who support us every year. Fitzwilliam Racing used to buy between eight and 10 yearlings every year but they didn't shop last year so we had to go out and find a few more people.”

He added, “It's been difficult. Most of the big owners have their own agents that they like to use. I rarely get orders. I go out and buy the horses on spec and, when you are spending your own money, you approach the sales differently. I think I only had three orders to go and fill at the yearling sales last year. The rest I bought myself and got sold afterwards.”

When shopping the yearling sales, Murtagh says that he has certain criteria that he tries to fill when recruiting future runners to the stable. 

He explained, “We buy an early type who might take us to Royal Ascot, a filly who could win a maiden or get placed in a maiden and then get sold on to America, and then the back-end middle-distance horse who might be good enough for Australia in time. The main thing you're looking for is a horse that you might be able to trade on. Listen, that's the only way you can survive in this business in Ireland. It's terrible when you have to buy horses to sell them. We're becoming a nursery for abroad and that's the problem.”

The Aga Khan, for whom Murtagh enjoyed some memorable days in the saddle for, remains a loyal supporter with seven juveniles in training at Fox Covert stables and reportedly more on the way. 

However, Murtagh explained that, along with the illustrious Aga Khan pedigrees that the stable has the luxury of working with, there are many recruits to the yard that have been less obvious.

He said, “We have seven two-year-olds for the Aga Khan in training at the moment and there are still a couple more to come in. There is a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of Tanaza (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who goes well, while they also have a nice Footstepsinthesand  (GB) colt here as well.”

Murtagh added, “I like shopping at the yearling sales because it keeps your eye in. We don't even look at what the horses are by any more. We try to look at every single horse if we can because Lord Rapscallion (Ire), he was by Alhebayeb (Ire), Champers Elysees (Ire) by Elzaam (Aus) and Create Belief (Ire) by Awtaad (Ire). If you are looking at the page first, rather than the model, you won't be able to buy them.”

Colts

Oasis Dream (GB) colt out of Its A Given (GB) (Bated Breath {GB})
Bought by: Johnny Murtagh/Linehan Bloodstock for €40,000 at Goffs Orby Book 2
Owner: Paddy Woods 
Comment: This fella is tough, sharp and hardy. He looks ready to go. He may want fast ground so we will need to wait for the ground to dry up. 

Ardad (Ire) colt out of Sugar Hiccup (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}) 
Noel Hartley
Bought by Johnny Murtagh / Linehan Bloodstock for €50,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale
I haven't had an Ardad before but Eddie [Linehan] was keen to get one as he said he's a sire who gets very good two-year-olds. This lad is sharp and fast. He looks a typical two-year-old type and is exactly what we wanted to have to go to war with this year. 

Study Of Man (Ire) colt out of Kesarina (GB) (Medicean {GB})
Bought by ATS Racing for €40,000 at the Goffs Orby Part 2 Sale 
Tony Smurfit
A nice colt for the second half of the season. Paddy Twomey has a very nice horse by Study Of Man, Deepone, the winner of the Beresford last year, and he could be a nice horse in the making.

Zoustar (Aus) colt out of Abbakova (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire})
Bought by FCS Bloodstock/Linegan Bloodstock for £72,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale
I have had a bit of luck with the stallion. We had Young Champion (Ire), which he is known as in Hong Kong, finish second in a Listed race at Naas for us before being sold out there. This lad reminds me a bit of him. 

Fillies

Unnamed
Blue Point (Ire) filly out Ridge Ranger (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire})
Bought by  FCS Bloodstock / Linehan Bloodstock for 215,000gns at Book 2 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale
Wellspec
This filly was bought on behalf of Welspec, who also had Malacanne (Ire) (Raven's Pass) with me. She is the first Blue Point I have trained and we were delighted to get her. Blue Point did unbelievably well last year. She's very sharp and is showing us plenty. Hopefully she'll be out by May. 

Mehmas (Ire) filly out of Under Offer (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB})
Mark Dobbin
Bought by Johnny Murtagh/Linehan Bloodstock for €150,000 at the Goffs Orby Book 1
She is a half-sister to Basil Martini (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who was a Listed winner for Joseph O'Brien. Again, she should make a sharp two-year-old and is coming along nicely with the early bunch. She probably won't be a five-furlong filly but maybe six furlongs could suit her well and she should be out soon. She's owned by Mark Dobbin who is a good supporter. 

Kodiac (Ire) filly out of Castellated {GB})
Mark Dobbin 
Bought by FCS Bloodstock / Linehan Bloodstock for 165,000gns at Book 2 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale 
Another filly owned by Mark Dobbin, she came from Tally-Ho Stud and we like her a lot. I haven't had many by the sire but we're looking forward to this one.

Havana Grey (GB) filly out of Freckles (GB) (Arakan)
Bought by Johnny Murtagh/Linehan Bloodstock/Nick Bradley Racing at the Goffs Orby Sale Book 2 for €85,000
Nick Bradley has a very nice Havana Grey filly with me. She's probably one of my sharper fillies. Hopefully we'll get her out before the end of April. Nick saw her first–it was him who put her to me. He told me he was out at 50 grand and then when I bought her, he said he'd take half of her. I couldn't leave this filly behind me at the sales. I just kept bidding on her and I'm delighted we have her now. Nick had two horses with us last year and both of them won. In fact, I think every horse he has had with us has won. He's pretty shrewd at picking them out and hopefully this can be another. 

Belardo filly out of Shelannga (Ire) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz})
Aga Khan
I have more fillies than colts this year and this is a nice one from the Aga Khan. I haven't had many Belardos in the past but this filly goes particularly well. She is showing plenty but we're not going to rush her. She is taking all of her work really well. We have a lovely Too Darn Hot filly for the Aga Khan as well and they are just a couple that are showing the right signs at the moment. 

Inns Of Court (Ire) filly out of Wild Mix (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire})
Bought by Johnny Murtagh/Linehan Bloodstock for €50,000 at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale
Tony Smurfit
This is a half-sister to Noel Meade's good filly, Caught U Looking (Ire) (Harzand {Ire}), who did very well last year. This is a very big filly and she will be out in the back-end of the season but she is a fine filly.

Ten Sovereigns (Ire) filly out of Enharmonic (E Dubai)
Bought by Johnny Murtagh/Linehan Bloodstock for €70,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale
Michael O'Flynn
They don't give stallions a long time to make a name for themselves these days but I'd have to say I'm a fan of Ten Sovereigns and I'm looking forward to this filly. She'll be out in the second half of the season.

Raven's Pass filly out of Seschat (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire})
Bought by Syndicates Racing for €22,000 at the Goffs Orby Book 1 Sale
Syndicates Racing
She is backward–she's a big girl. I think Jack [Cantillon] has all the shares sold in this filly and she's nice.

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The highest rated son of Churchill (Ire) won five times for Jean-Claude Rouget and carried the colours of the Aga Khan. He will join the stallion ranks at Haras de Bonneval, where he will stand alongside Siyouni (Fr), Zarak (Fr) and Dariyan (Fr). No fee has been decided on yet. 

Georges Rimaud, manager for the Aga Khan Studs in France, commented, “We are delighted to have Vadeni join the team at Haras de Bonneval and he will come to stud with a very exciting profile. A stakes winner at two, he showed a fantastic turn of foot to win the Prix du Jockey Club by a record five-length margin at three, proved the best of a stellar field in the Eclipse S., and placed in both the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Irish Champion S.

“He showed a great constitution and temperament that enabled him to perform with distinction at the highest level, not just in France, but also in Ireland and the UK.”

Vadeni's Eclipse victory bridged a 62-year gap to the last French-trained winner of the Group 1 contest at Sandown. It was also a first UK winner for the Aga Khan since Harzand (Ire) won the Derby in 2016.

Rimaud added, “He is everything you would want in a racehorse-precocious, fast, sound and consistent, and a dual Group 1 winner. After two busy seasons, he ran a great race to come second in the Arc in testing conditions on his first try at 12 furlongs, and it possibly took more out of him than we thought. We have therefore taken the decision to retire him now and focus on the next chapter ahead of him.

“Like Siyouni, he hails from a prolific Lagardère family that consistently produces good horses, and he is bred on the successful cross of Galileo (Ire) and Monsun (Ger)–so he boasts an excellent pedigree to go with his race record.”

One of six winners from six to race for the winning Monsun mare Vaderana (Fr), Vadeni is a half-brother to the stakes-placed duo of Vadiyann (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and Vadsena (Fr) (Makfi {GB}). His granddam is G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), who threw three stakes winners including the Group 2 winner Vadamar (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who was third in the G1 Gran Premio di Milano, and G3 Tyros S. hero The Pentagon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), third in the G1 Racing Post Trophy S.

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Downes, the Aga Khan's manager of the Irish studs, has said that the most impressive aspect of Tahiyra's G1 Coronation S. success was the fact that Dermot Weld's charge was able to win despite the race not being run to suit.

Downes said, “We were delighted with her performance at Ascot. It was a bit of a muddling race. It got very tactical and there wasn't much pace. That didn't suit us and we'd have preferred a stronger gallop. But she travels and she quickens and she was able to overcome a messy race which was obviously very pleasing for us.”

He added, “The good horses overcome things like that. If some issues present themselves in a race, they find a way of winning, don't they?”

Downes revealed that Tahiyra will have an easy couple of weeks before rejoining Weld with a view towards a busy autumn campaign. 

He explained, “She will be here for a couple of weeks. We wouldn't give her any longer–she might do too well if we did! It's lovely to have her back here and the staff are delighted to see her. Hopefully she will have a nice couple of weeks and head back down to Rosewell House.”

Downes added on the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner, “The Matron is pretty much the way we are looking at the moment and then we can have a discussion about what comes after that. There are a lot of options on the table for her.”

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Catalogued at lot 716, the bay filly is a daughter of Vazira (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), winner of three of her six career starts, including the 2014 G1 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp one start after taking the G3 Prix Vanteaux at her second career run. The female family also includes fellow Prix Saint-Alary heroine Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), the dam of Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed The Pentagon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and SW/MGSP Vedouma (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}); and G1 Prix du Moulin winner Vadamos (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}).

“She's a lovely mare,” said Katie Rudd, who signed the ticket on behalf of Busherstown. “She'll come back to Ireland. It's the first time I've bought at the Vente d'Elevage–the market is strong.”

Trainnah (GB), a daughter of the influential Pivotal (GB), fetched €55,000 from Jamie Piggott Bloodstock to rank as the session's second-dearest offering. Consigned by Haras de Castillon, the 9-year-old mare is a half-sister to the dual group-winning James Garfield (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and to the dam of SW & MGSP Nate The Great (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Trainnah's dam Whazzat (GB) (Daylami {Ire}) is a half-sister to the dam of US champion turf female Uni (GB) (More Than Ready). Trainnah was sold in foal to Ectot (GB).

Nearly four out of every five horses (217) offered during Monday's session were reported as sold for gross turnover of €2,540,000. The average of €11,704 improved by 12.77% over last year, while the median price of €8,500 represented a gain of 21.4%.

Entering Tuesday's final session, 613 horses have changed hands for €56,099,500. The average of €91,516 and median of €26,000 are well ahead of last year's numbers.

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   Georges Rimaud has played an integral role in the success of the organisation. The manager of HH Aga Khan's studs in France, Rimaud reflected on the success of Vadeni in Saturday's

G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and shared his delight at the popularity of Zarak among breeders in this week's Q&A.

   For all of the joy the G1 Irish Champion S.-bound Vadeni has generated in strutting his stuff in the top European races, those associated with the iconic Aga Khan studs in France have enjoyed similar levels of excitement with the impressive numbers posted by the up-and-coming sire Zarak. 

   His blistering start at stud earned a fee rise from €12,000 to €25,000 and Rimaud shared how breeders have been unwavering in their support of the young stallion who, in being out of the champion racemare Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar), carries a tremendous legacy. 

Brian Sheerin: You have spent over 20 years managing the breeding interests of HH Aga Khan and have enjoyed huge success. Where does Saturday's Coral-Eclipse S. victory with Vadeni rank?

Georges Rimaud: We have had a lot of success in England before, but Saturday was a great day. The opportunity to be a part of the Coral-Eclipse, which is such a difficult race to win, was one thing but to win it and beat some very solid race horses along the way was something very special.

BS: The decision to send Vaderana (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) [Vadeni's dam] to Churchill is looking like an inspired one now.

GR: Obviously we have consultations over every mating and it's always a joint effort. The dam was at a stage in her life where she could go to an unproven stallion like Churchill and, because she needed a bit of size, he provided that element. The dam is not very big and Churchill is a good model. He was a champion 2-year-old, a very fast son of Galileo (Ire), and that's what we felt we needed for this mare. It has worked out, thank God!

BS: What has Vaderana got coming through?

GR: She is in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire). She has a colt foal by Too Darn Hot (GB) and she was barren the year before that. She also has a 2-year-old Camelot (GB) gelding in training with Jean-Claude Rouget.

BS: And Jean-Claude Rouget is aiming Vadeni to the Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. He has charted a similar path to victory in that race before with Almanzor (Fr).

GR: That has been the plan for some time with this horse. The Irish Champion S. is known as a very good race in the second half of the season and some very good horses have won it–including Azamour (Ire) in 2004. It's a race we'd like to participate in and Jean-Claude [Rouget] has had some good luck at Leopardstown with Almanzor. We are looking forward to it. Vadeni will probably have a nice break and will go directly to Leopardstown for that race.

BS: Speaking of Ireland, the stud enjoyed big-race success there on Irish Derby weekend when Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) landed the G2 Railway S. at the Curragh. He looks an unusually quick horse for the Aga Khan.

GR: It's interesting how people perceive that we breed slow racehorses. He is fast. He could be quite talented but it is obviously very early in his career. It is nice to have a young trainer like Johnny Murtagh and to have horses like Shartash coming through, especially in this year, which is the 100-year anniversary of the Aga Khan breeding operation. All of this is happening in good time, which is great, and we can only be honoured to serve in this excellent organisation.

BS: There is obviously an extra significance to these big-race successes.

GR: If it were happening last year we'd be just as thrilled but this is a funny business in that some years are slow. We are very happy that we are having good success this year. But in the case of Shartash, Pat Downes would obviously have more of an association with him and with Johnny, but it is great to have these nice horses who can compete at every level and at different age groups. It makes it very satisfying for the breeding operation with a view towards the future.

BS: Along with Vadeni, one of the main reasons I wanted to speak with you was to discuss the phenomenal start Zarak has had at stud. His numbers are quite impressive. 

GR: Zarak has obviously done very well so far. He posted some excellent stats with his first crop. It's very gratifying to have a stallion like him, especially with his pedigree. He is by Dubawi (Ire) and out of Zarkava (Ire), which is very satisfying. When you speak of the centenary in that light, I think it is quite special. When Zarkava won the Arc, His Highness said that it epitomised his breeding operation. Now, with a son of Zarkava emerging to be one of the leading stallions in Europe, it's very promising. It's rare that we see stats like that and hopefully the quality can be maintained in his next crops. He seems to really improve the mares that he has been bred with but he has had a steady flow of good mares. It's been good; he covered 160 mares this year so hopefully there will be some nice stock coming through by him.

BS: Like you said, he has a pedigree to die for and did it on the track. However, you can never be sure that they will make it at stud. The early signs are that Zarak is on the cusp of being a high-class stallion.

GR: There are interesting elements that would make you gain confidence as you go along. The popularity of the horse is quite interesting. He is very popular among breeders and a lot of people have come back to him after the first foal was born. Generally, the numbers drop considerably with stallions in their second and third year at stud. But he has had a steady flow of mares and actually it has even increased. That is a strong indication that the breeders are confident in the horse if they are sending their mares back to him. When you have a good number of breeders supporting him like they are, you can't really go wrong, and they are coming back with good reports. That is very significant.

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Vadeni, trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, was supplemented at a cost of £50,000 for the race on Monday. A hugely impressive winner of the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly when last seen, the French raider is a general 2-1 favourite to follow up on that success at Sandown.  

Georges Rimaud, the Aga Khan's racing manager, said, “We liked Vadeni's performance in the French Derby, when he showed a very decisive turn of foot. Personally, that did not surprise me because I knew he had that gear change based on his prior race in the G3 Prix Fontainebleau over a mile where his acceleration drew the best sectional times.”

Vadeni will be bidding to bridge a gap that extends back to 1959 to the last French-trained winner of the Eclipse, Alec Head's Prince Aly Khan-owned Saint Crespin III (GB), however, not many have tried since. 

Rimaud thinks that Vadeni could be up to the task and added, “Obviously, when you have a horse winning the Prix du Jockey Club by a record five lengths it's very satisfying. Going in against the older horses is a task, but it's an interesting one –it's time for him to show us what he can do.

“We'll know more on Saturday evening about his autumn campaign, but it's the only race at the distance at this time which is a Group 1. It will be a challenge, but it's one we are ready to take on.”

Vadeni was put through his paces at Deauville on Monday morning and is reported to be in rude health ahead of his trip to Britain.

Rimaud said, “I sent a message after seeing the horse work on Monday that all the lights were green. He wasn't asked to do very much, but he did work well and showed a nice action on ground that we would call good, so we decided to go ahead and supplement him as planned.”

He added, “There seemed to be an assumption after Chantilly that we were perhaps going to go for the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano as a route to the Arc, but we don't know if he's made for 1m4f. He has a lot of speed, so we're sticking to just short of that.”

“Sandown is a different profile of track and we don't know if he will manage it, but we certainly expect him to handle it as he's a very well-balanced horse. He has always had a lovely action and doesn't get concerned by the ground being soft or fast. There is a 10-metre rise from the home turn to the winning post at Chantilly, so hopefully that will help.”

Group 1 winners Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), along with this year's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas scorer Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), are also on course for what promises to be a mouth-watering renewal.

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“I am delighted to win for His Highness, as it has been a few years since we made it at the highest level and these prestigious races are so important for his breeding operation,” Soumillon said after steering his fourth winner of the 10 1/2-furlong Classic. “I feel sorry that he and Princess Zahra could not make it to the races today and my first thoughts were for them–I owe them so much and they have been so important in my career. The key to the race this year was to have a good draw and we had the perfect trip. My horse was travelling so easily and when I asked him he was impressive. His preparation had been perfectly planned by Jean-Claude Rouget and today he was at the top of his game.”

Introduced over seven furlongs at La Teste de Buch in July, Vadeni dealt with the eventual Listed Prix Montenica winner Loubeisien (Fr) before heading to Deauville in August to capture the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage over a mile in which the subsequent group 1 performer Times Square (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) was third. Only third when over-racing as the 2-5 favourite behind El Bodegon in the nine-furlong G3 Prix de Conde on his final juvenile start, the bay returned with a staying-on fifth in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at a mile at ParisLongchamp Apr. 17 before it all slotted into place in the Prix de Guiche back here last time.

After the earlier G3 Prix de Royaumont win of the Stud's Baiykara (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), there was a feeling in the air that this meeting would form some sort of crowning moment for the breeding operation which has its roots in Aga Khan III's 1922 Queen Mary S. success. Even the draw had been kind, twice, with Vadeni faring well the first time the balls were pulled out of the bowl and better at the second attempt. As is often the case in this race, it became a race of the haves and the have-nots in that respect with Soumillon able to cruise and draft with minimal effort and William Buick's hand forced by stall 13. He had to use up fuel on Modern Games to get the 21-10 favourite into the front line, but he made the right call as after the opening two furlongs, the eventual first, second and third were occupying three of the front five positions. TDN Rising Stars Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Lassaut (Fr) (Almanzor {Ire}) and the similarly well-fancied Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) were far adrift as the trailing trio at that stage and the die was already cast for them.

Soon into the straight it was clear that those in the rearguard had little chance of getting to the leaders and one glance at the emerald green was enough to predict the outcome. Hard as Modern Games tried, he was losing steam on the rain-softened ground and while his compatriot El Bodegon was wearing him down, by the time they had grafted to a furlong and a half out the race had already slipped out of their grip. It is rare that a jockey is able to begin celebrations so far from the line and only time will tell how Vadeni ranks alongside Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), but the fact is that France has a new star and that can only be a good thing where the diversity of the racing game is concerned.

For Rouget, the performance was a clear peak of his grand total of five.”He is the easiest of my Jockey Club winners–he's very good,” he said. I will probably give him a break now and I'll speak to the owner and see what he wants to do. If he wants to go for the Arc, I would suggest running him in the Irish Champion Stakes first and if not, he could still come back in the Irish Champion and head to the Champion Stakes at Ascot as Almanzor did.”

Charlie Appleby is looking to the States now for Modern Games. “I think in the end he didn't quite see out the trip,” he said. “The winner was quite impressive and you could spot him from a long way out. I think on faster ground Modern Games can stay nine or ten and the Belmont Derby or Saratoga Derby are options for him now in America.” James Ferguson said of El Bodegon, “It's so great to see him back on track and I've never been so happy to be second–the winner is a fantastic horse and all credit to him. My horse has beaten everyone else. He wears his heart on his sleeve and tried all the way to the line.”

Vadeni is from the first crop of Churchill {Ire}) and becomes his first Classic and group 1 winner, while he was also giving Monsun his 16th success at this level as a damsire. The dam Vaderana, whose previous five foals include the multiple listed-placed Vadsena (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) and the Australian listed-placed Vadiyann (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), is a daughter of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain) who produced five black-type performers headed by the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris scorer Vadamar (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and the G3 Tyros S. winner and G1 Racing Post Trophy third The Pentagon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Vadawina is kin to the fellow Saint-Alary heroine Vazira (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and the stakes-producing, dual group 3 winner Vadapolina (Fr) (Trempolino), while their dam Vadaza (Fr) (Zafonic) is in turn a half-sister to the G1 Queen Anne S. and G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Valixir (Ire) (Trempolino) and the listed-winning Celebre Vadala (Fr) (Peintre Celebre) who threw the G1 Prix du Moulin-winning sire Vadamos (Fr) from a mating with Monsun. Also connected to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Val Royal (Fr) (Royal Academy), Vaderana has the unraced 2-year-old colt by Camelot (GB) named Vazirpour (GB).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
QATAR PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB-G1, €1,500,000, Chantilly, 6-5, 3yo, c/f, 10 1/2fT, 2:06.65, sf.
1–VADENI (FR), 128, c, 3, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Vaderana (Fr), by Monsun (Ger)
2nd Dam: Vadawina (Ire), by Unfuwain
3rd Dam: Vadaza (Fr), by Zafonic
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Christophe Soumillon. €857,100. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-1, €987,100. *1/2 to Vadsena (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), MSP-Fr; and Vadiyann (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), SP-Aus, $140,637. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–El Bodegon (Ire), 128, c, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Al Andalyya, by Kingmambo. (70,000gns Ylg '20 TAOCT). O-Nas Syndicate & A F O'Callaghan; B-Cecil & Martin McCracken (IRE); T-James Ferguson. €342,900.
3–Modern Games (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. €171,450.
Margins: 5, SNK, 1 1/4. Odds: 6.80, 14.00, 2.10.
Also Ran: Al Hakeem (GB), *Onesto (Ire), *Vagalame (Ire), Machete (Fr), Lassaut (Fr), Ancient Rome, Welwal (GB), Mister Saint Paul (Fr), Ivy League (Ire), Imperial Fighter (Ire), The Acropolis (Ire), Yoozuna (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
*Dead-heated for fifth.

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Brian Sheerin: There are few weeks in the Flat racing calendar quite like this one. It must evoke some special memories?

John Oxx: Of course it brings back great memories for us given we had two great horses-Sinndar and Sea The Stars-who were lucky enough to win the race. I didn't have many runners in the Derby over the years but it was a good race for us. There's always great excitement because the Derby comes up quite early in the year and most horses going into the race are not completely tested. They certainly haven't been tested over the distance, never mind the track. It's always a bit of a mystery and nobody knows for sure what will happen in the Derby which I think is part of the great appeal of the race. The pecking order has yet to be established and you can get surprises. On the first Saturday in June, the whole slate is wiped clean and the result is there for everyone to see as the Derby is usually won by the best horse. Suddenly, the whole story becomes a lot clearer, and that's what makes the Derby and the Oaks so exciting.

BS: What attributes do you need to win a Derby? I know Donnacha O'Brien was speaking about a good mentality being a huge asset which is why he is confident about a big run from Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}).

JO: Some people were advocating for the Derby to be run later in the year. There was debate in the industry paper about whether the date was correct or not. Of course, that is all nonsense because the whole point of the Derby is that it comes up early and that's what makes it a tougher test. The test, as Donnacha explained, is mental. For a horse to be ready to run in the Derby, to get a mile and a half early in June, to have run as a 2-year-old and have very little time off in the winter–none at all really–and then train through the early spring and put up with all that pressure. It's not meant to be easy. I didn't realise all it took to win a Derby until I had the responsibility of training a few horses to run in it and try and win it. The horses who can come through and win it, they have to be tougher, physically and mentally.

BS: Sinndar and Sea The Stars charted quite different paths to Epsom glory, didn't they?

JO: Yes. Sinndar was always a nice horse, a lovely looking horse with a marvellous temperament and he won his maiden before just scraping home in the G1 National S. as a juvenile. He looked to me like a horse who might run a place in a Derby–he was lazy at home and didn't look like a horse who had the brilliance to win the race. However, while he was still lazy at home as a 3-year-old, he went to the Ballysax at Leopardstown with a seven-pound penalty and got beaten by a race-fit rival [Grand Finale (Ire) (Sadler's Wells)], but I came home from the races that day thinking Sinndar could win the Derby. He was much better than what he had been showing at home, much better than I thought he was. He won the Derrinstown Derby Trial by a neck, but again he was carrying a seven-pound penalty for his Group 1 win at two, and beat a good horse of Aidan's [O'Brien] called Bach (Ire). Sinndar was deceptive. Every time he ran he got better and his rating jumped. That's the way he was right through the year. We had gotten to know him by the autumn and we really fancied him for the Arc.

Sea The Stars was a different kettle of fish altogether. We could see the potential brilliance even when he was a big 2-year-old who was always going to develop with the benefit of time. He did well as a 2-year-old to win the G2 Beresford S. and we knew he had plenty of speed and class so we had to let him take his chance in the Guineas. It was a great achievement for him to win at Newmarket because he had a high temperature on Mar. 17 and, to overcome that and then come out and win the Guineas, I think the sparkle was only coming back the week of the race but he still won it comfortably. I know he held a little back in his homework, but you could see that he was a brilliant horse at home who had that mental strength and physical constitution to get over that temperature, win the Guineas and then come out a few weeks later and win at Epsom. He had more ability than you ever expect to find in a horse.

BS: Both horses went on to win the Arc in the autumn. It might be in your instinct to try and deflect praise here but, there is obviously huge skill involved in keeping a 3-year-old colt sweet from the spring right through to the end of the autumn. You did it twice. What was your secret?

JO: The secret is to have a very good horse! You can't burn the candle at both ends with horses if you want them to go on to the end of their 3-year-old year. Sinndar had two runs as a 2-year-old and Sea The Stars had three runs as a 2-year-old but they didn't have a gruelling juvenile campaign. They just did enough and gained enough experience. They were ready for their big engagements at three and were just good horses that were trained appropriately. What I mean by that is, Sinndar had his little break after winning the G1 Irish Derby, as that's what His Highness wanted. That's the way the French do it, they get as far as the French Derby and then rest the horse before giving them a trial before the Arc. That was the modus operandi of his highness at the time so that's what we did.

Obviously Sea The Stars was different. He had the brilliance to do it but he also had the physical constitution and the mental strength. He had everything. After he won the Guineas and the Derby, we knew he was one of the greats but to prove it, he had to run up a sequence of major races right throughout the season. Luckily we were able to get him through it and we just had to keep him healthy and keep him in a nice routine. The key is keeping them calm and happy in their work and not overfacing them. They have to enjoy their working life and then they will keep performing for you.

BS: I was struck by another comment you made once. You said that it was the everyday training of Sea The Stars that was the real pleasure. The race days were just pure relief

JO: Oh yes, it was a great privilege to train high-class horses. That's what keeps trainers going. That's what gets trainers up out of bed in the day. We felt with Sea The Stars in particular that, although it was a great responsibility and there were anxious times, it was also a great privilege and I certainly appreciated it. Sea The Stars was just a magnificent-looking creature. Just watching him, his behaviour and his attitude towards his work, being there looking at him every day and at evening stables, feeling his legs and then just standing back and admiring him, it was just a great pleasure. Yes, the race days were just a relief to see him go by the post in front. When it was all over and he'd won the Arc, I just sat down and I said, 'wow, imagine that. Imagine having a horse like that through your hands.' It was a mixture of tremendous relief, satisfaction and gratitude.

BS: Sea The Stars had brilliance over a range of different trips and we are seeing that through his progeny. Do you get much pleasure out of watching his sons and daughters on the track?

JO: I do, of course. He was a great horse with a great pedigree and he almost couldn't fail as a stallion. But we have seen horses disappoint at stud who had a lot of qualities. When they have that combination of great ability, good looks and pedigree, like Frankel has, too, it's nearly impossible for them not to be successful. I'm delighted to see him now with a top miler in Baaeed (GB) because I had been waiting for that. He's had good horses at a mile, plenty of them, but to get a real star miler like Baaeed, it's something I had been waiting for as Sea The Stars was a Guineas winner himself. Distance was no problem for him. He could have sprinted, he could have gone a mile, he could have gone two miles if he wanted to. He just had that superior engine and it's great to see him with Baaeed. From what I read, Baaeed seems to have his father's temperament as well. I watch the results all the time to see what's coming along for Sea The Stars.

BS: Have you any thoughts on the fact that Crystal Ocean (GB), one of his most talented sons, was not given a chance to prove himself as a Flat stallion?

JO: It's an unfortunate state of affairs that very good horses are shunned by breeders because they're mile-and-a-half winners or, in their eyes, were slow maturing. It's the way of the world at the moment and we can't do a lot to change it. Everyone is aware of the importance in keeping stamina in the breed and keeping those genes alive. There have been some changes made to the racing programme, giving better opportunities to horses in the staying category and boosting prize-money for those races, to try over a period of time to make yearlings who are bred to stay that little bit more popular in the sales ring.

The reason why people want sharp, early 2-year-olds is perfectly understandable. There are good commercial reasons for trainers and bloodstock agents to buy something sharp that might get a quick result for their owners. You can understand why owners would want it as well. You can't change that and I'm not saying we should. We just need to keep an eye on the distance as well because the thing about distance is that, horses race with their lungs and their cardiovascular system, and the superior athletes are the ones with the best respiratory system and the best cardiovascular system. That's the engine. The horses with the big engine have speed with more stamina. They don't stop.They keep going. That comes from their genes. If you don't breed for that, the gene pool is being diminished. If you just go for sprinters and nothing else, over time, the quality of the product will diminish. We are competing on the international stage and you'd like the product here to remain competitive here.

BS: Is there a certain jurisdiction that we should aspire to be like?

JO: We have to heed what is staring us in the face, which is the success of the Japanese horses. It has been there for several years but it has become obvious to a wider audience recently. In Japan, most of the bigger races are run over longer distances and up to two miles. The stallion farms are populated by horses who won these straying races, raced on as 4- and 5-year-olds and had plenty of races. They are producing some of the world's best horses every year. I read the TDN's report on last Sunday's Japanese Derby which stated that the first two horses home ran the last three furlongs in :33.6 seconds. To do that at the end of one and a half miles shows real quality. Speed and stamina equals a big engine and those are the genes that you would like to keep in the Thoroughbred.

BS: When you are speaking about horses who stay the trip I can't help but think about the Triple Crown. How close did you come to aiming Sea The Stars at the Triple Crown and were there ever any regrets that you didn't?

JO: It would be a dream to train a Triple Crown winner. It was marvellous to see Nijinsky II (Northern Dancer) do it and he was one of my heroes. To think that I would have had a chance to win the Triple Crown with Sea The Stars and that I'd dismiss it pretty quickly when I had the chance to do it is amazing really because I would have grown up thinking it would be the ultimate achievement for a horse. However, the owner was not keen on the idea for a start and, while I was given a free hand to train the horse as if he were mine, I knew their feelings. It would have been a formality for him. He would have followed them around at the rear and skirted past them at the end because great horses like that, as I have said, if they have a big engine like he did, distance does not matter. They just keep going. They don't stop and an extra couple of furlongs doesn't make any difference to them.

The commercial market wouldn't agree but winning the Triple Crown really does mean something when it comes to assessing a horse's capabilities but we're not going to see many of them in Europe again. It's still possible, with all the good stallions we have capable of siring such horses, but will we ever see one? As it turned out, running in the Irish Champion S. was his only chance to run in Ireland, having missed the Irish Derby due to the weather, and he beat a good field and actually won by a bit of distance that day, which he normally didn't. He normally just did enough. He earned his highest rating that day so it worked out better for the horse in the end.

BS: The Triple Crown remains a hot topic in America. They are suggesting tampering with the dates of the races. I know you have some views against that.

JO: Just because something is difficult to win and not many horses can do it, that's not a good reason to change it. Making it easier to achieve isn't necessarily the right thing to do as it's supposed to be tough and it's supposed to be a test. I think most people realise that. The Triple Crown in America is tough to win but it's been done many times and is still achievable. It also goes back to my earlier points on stamina. The Americans like speed but they also want to see their horses carry their speed around two turns and stay the gruelling 10 furlongs of the Kentucky Derby. It is still every American owner's dream to win the Kentucky Derby.

BS: Getting back to the Derby, what do you make of this year's race?

JO: As usual, it's all up for grabs on Saturday and we don't know what's going to happen. Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) looks a very worthy favourite. He was an impressive 2-year-old winner but has just had the one run this year. I am sure Sir Michael would have liked to get two runs into him this year, but he seems to be happy with him and he knows what he's doing. I also liked Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at Leopardstown where he won easily. He's a battle-hardened warrior who has had enough runs as a 2-year-old and seems to have done well from two to three with two good wins under his belt this year. I like the look of him because he's so experienced. There are other good horses in there so it should be exciting to watch.

BS: How do you approach Derby week now that you are retired?

JO: I am happy to sit at home and watch it on television. I am not a frustrated trainer. I am happy to be watching and not having to worry about it. It used to be an anxious time and I am not sorry to be away from the anxiety of the whole thing.

BS: It could be another big weekend for Sea The Stars with Emily Upjohn (GB). John Gosden has been quoted as comparing her to Taghrooda (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). She appears to have outstanding claims in the Oaks.

JO: She does and if John is comparing her favourably to Taghrooda that's a big recommendation. They are different types of fillies. Taghrooda was a lovely medium-sized filly, as far as I remember, and while I haven't seen Emily Upjohn in the flesh, I believe she is quite big. Obviously she is a fluent mover and is well balanced. I hope she is as good as Taghrooda because she was a smashing filly.

BS: Emily Upjohn's story is quite an interesting one and proves that Classic contenders can slip through the net.

JO: Yes. She was in Book 2 at Newmarket and I believe she was a very big yearling. She was good looking and moved well and must have had plenty of good qualities if Tom Goff bought her. People don't like them too big and don't want them to take too much time and she just wasn't commercial, even though she has a very good pedigree on the dam's side, one of the Aga Khan's best families. She was certainly very well bought at the price regardless of her recent good form. Everyone will look at it now and think they were asleep that day!

BS: You can't really mention the Derby without speaking about Lester Piggott. How did you remember him when you heard the sad news of his passing on Sunday?

JO: Lester was a one-off and will always be most closely associated with Epsom where his great skill was best advertised. People tried to copy his style and he put a whole generation of young jockeys on the wrong path as they all wanted to ride short like him but none of them were able to do it. He was a great jockey with brilliant instincts. He'd nerves of steel and was so focussed and determined. He just had that mental grit and went from one race to the next without letting success or failure have any affect on him. People were very interested in him not only because he was a great jockey but because he didn't talk much and kept a poker face which made him mysterious and added to his charisma.

BS: You have retired but your famous Curragbeg Stables remain a soundtrack to horses

JO: Yes. We are delighted to have John and Jody O'Donoghue here. They have started well and have a small string, nearly all of which are 2-year-olds. In fact, I think he has only one 3-year-old, and he has managed to win with that already. He has one nice early 2-year-old and he has won with that as well. They are a very capable and able couple and I am very impressed by the way that John is going about the job and the decisions that he's making and the way that he's running the place. I think they have a great future and we are looking forward to being a part of it all with them.

BS: And what is driving John Oxx?

JO: I have always been very interested in the breeding side of things and, now that I am retired, I have more time to keep up with what is going on around the world. I read a lot more and am a big fan of TDN. It's a great publication. I enjoy having that little bit more time. I am also very fortunate that Kirsten Rausing asked me to do some work for her at Staffordstown Stud and it's a great pleasure to go up there and be involved in her operation. I am very lucky that she asked me to become involved. She had a tremendous year in 2021, particularly with Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) winning three Group 1 races, and Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten), who has already run well in the 1000 Guineas, so we are really looking forward to her this season as well. Just rewards in all her efforts in building up her families.

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Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), runner-up to Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational winner at Belmont Park, flew the flag for Arqana Breeze-Up Sale graduates in 2021 and Hassett thinks there will be more than a few potential top-notchers to go under the hammer on Friday afternoon.

“I have never seen so many good-looking horses in the one place,” Hassett said on the eve of Thursday's breeze, which takes kicks off at 12 p.m. local time.

He added, “The year comes down to these next few days. I bought much bigger horses for the sales this year and, because I did that, some horses weren't ready for this sale.

“But the ones who work out, they work out very well, and I am happy with this bunch. There's a Siyouni colt in particular who is very nice. He only cost €85,000 grand but he's nice and he's well-related.

“There's also an Expert Eye colt, who is 16.2hh and is 510 kilograms, and I took a chance on him being ready for a breeze-up sale but he's certainly ready. I only have one mare and I sent her to Expert Eye so I think he will be quite good.”

Hassett's Siyouni colt is out of the winning and multiple listed-placed Aga Khan mare Valasyra (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}), who is a half-sister to the ill-fated 2012 Prix de Diane winner Valyra (GB) (Azamour {Ire}) and Valirann (Fr) (Nayef {Fr}), who stands in Ireland.

The Expert Eye colt is out of Popular (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a half-sister to black-type performer In Favour (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and from a good Juddmonte family.

Hassett has been bolstered by the support of the Getinthegame this sales season and is averaging 100,000 per horse sold on behalf of the syndicate on the breeze-up circuit thus far. The popular County Clare man is hoping the good run continues at Deauville this week.

He said, “I am very fond of my horses but, like I said, for a lot of people, the year comes down to this sale. The French do a tremendous job at getting the customers and the horses here. They have a young, dynamic team and are fairly switched on about getting everybody here.”

Hassett added, “The stats will tell you that you will be lucky to sell one good horse but I am bringing four or five who I really like. I would be happy to take them home if I don't get what I want for them but I don't think I will have to do that.”

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