Sunday Observations: Full to Epsom Derby Hero Serpentine on Display at Naas

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday’s Insights features a full-brother to G1SW Serpentine (Ire).

12.30 Naas, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, 6fT
Coolmore’s debutant APOLLO THIRTEEN (IRE) (No Nay Never), one of three nominees representing the Aidan O’Brien stable, is out of the dual Grade I placegetter Nasty Storm (Gulch) and thus a half-brother to MGSW G1 Phoenix S. placegetter Actress (Ire) (Declaration of War). He faces a fully-subscribed field of 17 in this straight dash.

1.00 Naas, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, 8fT
Aidan O’Brien is again mob-handed and the once-raced KING
OF THE CASTLE (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-brother to this year’s
G1 Epsom Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) out of G1 Epsom Oaks second Remember When (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), makes his second start following up a promising debut fourth at Gowran earlier this month. He is joined by stablemates Key To The Kingdom (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-brother to dual Classic-winning heroine Blue Bunting (Dynaformer); and Modus Operandi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who jumped in value from a 325,000gns Tattersalls December foal to a 800,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling and is out of a half-sister to MG1SW sire Golan (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}).

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G1SW Magic Wand Retired After Foot Abscess Rules Out Australian Start

Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}-Prudenzia {Ire}, by Dansili {GB}), a winner of the 2019 G1 Mackinnon S., has been retired from racing and will join Coolmore Stud’s broodmare band in Ireland next year, Coolmore Australia tweeted on Thursday morning. The 5-year-old was due to defend her title in the Mackinnon S., but was withdrawn with a foot abscess prior to the race.

“Following a foot abscess as she was preparing for a second tilt at the Mackinnon S., Magic Wand has been retired and will join our broodmare band in Ireland,” the stud tweeted. “She has been a wonderful mare for Coolmore and our partners and much loved by her strapper Yvonne.”

Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux and Skymarc Farm in Ireland, the daughter of French listed heroine Prudenzia brought €1.4 million to top the 2016 Arqana August Sale and join Aidan O’Brien’s string at Ballydoyle. A winner of the 2018 G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot and Listed Cheshire Oaks, the bay rolled a pair of twos in the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille and G1 Prix de l’Opera Longines prior to running fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf to end her sophomore season.

Wheeled back in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. in January of 2019, she was second to subsequent U.S. Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar (Giant’s Causeway). Her busy 2019 also included stops in Dubai and the UK (twice), as well as two other trips Stateside for a third in the GI Man o’War S. in May and another second to Bricks and Mortar in August’s GI Arlington Million S. She also made two journeys to Ireland for seconds in the G1 Pretty Polly S. in the summer and later in September the G1 Irish Champion S.

Despite all the travel, Magic Wand appeared to thrive and was making her ninth start of the year when fourth in last October’s G1 Cox Plate. Unplaced in the 2019 G1 Melbourne Cup, she claimed the Mackinnon just four days later on Nov. 9 for a thoroughly deserved Group 1 victory. The Aidan O’Brien trainee then missed by just a nose in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in December.

After another second in the Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 25, Magic Wand was unplaced in the inaugural $20-million Saudi Cup on dirt in February. Given four months on the bench, she saluted in the G2 Lanwades Stud S. on July 5. In three more 2020 starts in the UK and Ireland, her best performance was a fourth in the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. in July. The world traveler’s record stands at 28-4-9-2 and $4,702,433 in earnings.

A half-sister to Irish highweight and G1 Irish Oaks victress Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) who made €600,000 at Arqana August in 2011 and later sold for €6 million at the 2013 Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale, Magic Wand is also a full-sister to the 4-year-old filly G3 Prix de Royaumont third Je Ne Regretterien (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), a €950,000 Arqana August yearling.

Her dam’s 2017 colt Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) brought €420,000 two years ago at Arqana, while her 2018 Dubawi (Ire) filly Philomene (Ire) made €1.625 million last year. Her latest, a full-brother to Magic Wand, was her best sale yet. The colt was picked up by Coolmores MV Magnier for €2 million to top this year’s sale, which was incidentally held in September due to COVID-19.

Prudenzia is a half-sister to Wednesday’s Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale topper English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}), who made 925,000gns and is en route to Australia, as well as GSW Pacifique (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Under the blue-blooded fourth dam Souk (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}) are Irish highweight and G1 Epsom Oaks winner Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), G1 Melbourne Cup hero Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}), G1 Cheveley Park S. scorer Magical Romance (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}), and the Classic-placed duo of Masterofthehorse (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and Golden Sword (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}).

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Baffert Big Guns, Tiz The Law, Swiss Skydiver, Magical Among 200+ Horses Entered for Breeders’ Cup

Eclipse Award winner Maximum Security (New Year’s Day), GI Kentucky Derby hero Authentic (Into Mischief), GI Belmont S. victor Tiz the Law (Constitution), Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), who beat the boys in the GI Preakness S. and European star mare Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) are among the over 200 horses entered for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to be held at Keeneland Race Course Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7.

Maximum Security makes his first appearance at the Breeders’ Cup and is one of an imposing trio in the $6-million GI Breeders’ Cup Classic for trainer Bob Baffert. Winner of the GI TVG Pacific Classic in August, the Gary and Mary West runner was second to stablemate and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Improbable (City Zip) in the GI Awesome Again S. Authentic will try to become the first 3-year-old to win the featured event since the Baffert-trained Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song) in 2016 and makes his first appearance since finishing second to Swiss Skydiver at Old Hilltop Oct. 3. The latter was also entered for the Classic by trainer Ken McPeek, but has a first preference for the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) looks to double up in the latter event, having defeated her elders two years ago. She faces a maximum field of 11, though Harvey’s Lil Goil (American Pharoah), last-out winner of the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on the grass, has a first preference for the GI Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Of the 11 pre-entered horses for the $4-million GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, six are from overseas, headed by Ballydoyle’s outstanding mare Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Trainer Aidan O’Brien is also set to be represented by G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), while John Gosden also has a pair entered, including G1 Prince of Wales’s S. hero Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Mehdaayih (GB) (Frankel {GB}) holds an entry for the turf, but is cross-entered with a first preference against her peers in the Filly & Mare Turf.

The GI FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile also has significant European flair, with five overseas-based runners among the main body of 14 and another two among the four horses that were not selected into the field. European 3-year-old form is represented by G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Siskin (First Defence) as well as Kameko (Kitten’s Joy), victorious in the G1 English 2000 Guineas in his first start of the season in June and a latest winner of the G2 Shadwell Joel S. over a mile Sept. 25. The home team is headed by defending champion Uni (GB) (More Than Ready), one of three entered by trainer Chad Brown, who will also send out Digital Age (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), both Grade I winners this season.

Championship Saturday kicks off with the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint for which ‘Rising Star’ Gamine (Into Mischief) figures to go favored cutting back to one turn. Top 3-year-old filly sprinter Frank’s Rockette (Into Mischief) is likely to pass the Filly & Mare Sprint in favor of a start against the boys in the six-furlong GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint. There she will likely face Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), who also has a second preference in the GI Dirt Mile.

The ‘Future Stars Friday’ program features five championship events restricted to juveniles. Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music) will start a warm favorite in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, while the 2-year-old filly counterpart feels a more wide-open affair, with the unbeaten Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) opposing GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner Simply Ravishing (Laoban) and the West Coast-based ‘Rising Star’ Princess Noor (Not This Time). Full fields are anticipated for the GI Juvenile Turf, GI Juvenile Fillies Turf and GII Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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Classic Winner Sovereign Supplemented for Bahrain International Trophy

Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the 2019 G1 Irish Derby hero for Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partners, is a late supplement to the 2000-metre £500,000 Bahrain International Trophy on Nov. 20, the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club announced on Wednesday. Also second in this term’s G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S., Sovereign will be O’Brien’s first Bahraini runner.

“Sovereign is a strong mile and a quarter horse,” O’Brien told the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club notes team. (Click here to view the interview.) “He is a very strong galloper who likes to go forward in his races and we think the Bahrain International Trophy will suit him. He is a big genuine, sound horse. He’s an Irish Derby winner. We saw what he did in the Irish Derby and he ran a massive race in the King George where he was second to Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), so we think the race will suit him and we are looking forward to seeing him run.”

The supplementary stage closes on Nov. 3, with a max field of 14 allowed (12 Europeans and two Bahraini horses).

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