Tag: Alpinista

Seven Days: Out of the Frying Pan

Sir Mark Prescott will happily recount the story of the time he bashed his former pupil assistant William Haggas over the head with a frying pan for oversleeping. He will also reflect with pleasure on the great pride he felt when Haggas won the Derby in 1996 with Shaamit (Ire).

When it comes to being a benevolent dictator, the Prescott pendulum has, by his own admission, swung more from dictatorship towards benevolence in recent years and, more than anyone involved in British racing, the master of Heath House cares deeply for the history of the sport, its milestones, and its continuing traditions.

Prescott will certainly be enjoying the fact that Haggas currently has the best horse in the world in his clutches, Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who notched his perfect ten in the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday, earning a provisional Timeform rating of 137 with his imperious six-and-half-length romp over last year's winner, Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}).

But when it came to moments of exultation on the Knavesmire last week, there was as much jubilation for the victory of the Prescott-trained Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Yorkshire Oaks as there was for Baaeed. Alpinista had been runner-up to the Oaks winner Love (Ire) in the Yorkshire Oaks of 2020 and, despite adding British Listed and Group 2 victories to her tally since then, her big-race successes had all come overseas until last Thursday.

Even if Kirsten Rausing's grey mare had retired last year at the end of her 4-year-old season she would still have been a treble Group 1 winner who had  achieved the remarkable feat of emulating her own grand-dam, Albanova (GB), by winning the Grosser Preis von Berlin – famously beating subsequent Arc winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) – then the Preis von Europa and Grosser Preis von Bayern. But we were treated to an extra season, and what a year it has been so far for the current star of the prolific Lanwades breeding programme. Two-for-two in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Yorkshire Oaks, Alpinista looks set for a rematch with Torquator Tasso at Longchamp on the first weekend of October. Whether or not she will also face Baaeed in the Arc remains in doubt. The crowd are certainly baying for it, and indeed the manner in which the Shadwell homebred won the Juddmonte International did nothing to suggest he would not see out another two furlongs. Haggas raised the idea that the Irish Champion S. could be the colt's next port of call for what looks likely to be his penultimate race, but wherever and however he ends his career Baaeed will surely be Horse of the Year.

Maybe because he didn't race at two and isn't a Classic winner, Baaeed is somehow not afforded the level of adulation deserving of a horse of his calibre, which is a shame, because let's face it, he's bloody brilliant. Naturally he is most often compared to two previous winners of the International in his own sire Sea The Stars, for whom it was one of six consecutive Group 1 wins in 2009, starting with the 2,000 Guineas and ending with the Arc, and Frankel, who brought York to a standstill a decade ago with his seven-length victory.

The debate will rage endlessly among racing folk as it which of those two greats was the greatest, but it doesn't really matter. What is more important is that both Sea The Stars and Frankel have gone on to be important sires in their own right, with their offspring lighting up racecourses around the world, just as Baaeed and Alpinista did last week at York.

And in the case of those two most recent Group 1 winners, equally important is that they both represent families which have been the cornerstone of their respective breeders' empires for generations. From Sheikh Hamdan's purchase of Height Of Fashion (Fr) from the Queen in 1982 stems Baaeed, while the purchase of Alpinista's fourth dam Alruccaba (Ire) in 1985 by Kirsten Rausing and Sonia Rogers from the Aga Khan has resulted in an impressive dynasty being assembled largely, but by no means solely, at Rausing's Lanwades Stud. Alpinista's run of success is all the more special to those who enjoy the continuity of the great families for it being the centenary of the Aga Khan Studs, an operation which owes much of its own success to her tenth dam, one of the greatest greys of all time, Mumtaz Mahal (GB), who was born 101 years ago and still exerts such influence over the breed.

Trevaunance at the Double

On the subject of anniversaries, the 60th year of Moyglare Stud continues to be marked with great success on the track. As well as an Irish 1,000 Guineas victory for Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and racing the top stayer in Europe, homebred Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), in partnership with Coolmore, Eva-Maria Bucher-Haefner's operation celebrated back-to-back group wins for Trevaunance (Ire) in the G2 Prix de la Nonette. Trained by Jessica Harrington, the daughter of Muhaarar (GB) had previously won the G3 Prix de Psyche at Deauville's opening meeting 18 days earlier.

Trevaunance marks the blending of two notable Irish stud farms. Her dam Liber Nauticus (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) was bought by Moyglare from the Ballymacoll Stud dispersal of 2017, and is from a celebrated family which includes dual Breeders' Cup hero Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Irish 2,000 Guineas and Champion S. winner Spectrum (Ire) (Rainbow Quest).

Never Again – and Again

Nine years ago No Nay Never bounced from victory in a Keeneland maiden to the G2 Norfolk S. followed by the G1 Darley Prix Morny, and he is now the sire of a Morny winner following the success of Blackbeard (Ire) on Sunday.

It has to be said that a five-runner Prix Morny with no French-bred or -trained horse was a little disappointing, but there is nothing disappointing about the winner himself, who has had a busy first campaign and has now won five of his seven starts for Aidan O'Brien, including the G2 Prix Robert Papin. 

Twenty-four hours earlier, No Nay Never had been represented by a Group 2 juvenile double at the Curragh, courtesy of the exquisite-looking Meditate (Ire) and Aesop's Fables (Ire), both Ballydoyle stable-mates of Blackbeard and the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. winner Little Big Bear (Ire). No Nay Never is steaming ahead as the leading sire of juveniles in Europe this year, with Whitsbury Manor Stud's freshman Havana Grey (GB) in determined pursuit.

Deauville's other group races on Sunday fell to Richard Hannon, with the Rathasker Stud-bred Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) going one better than her finish behind Nashwa (GB) in the G1 Nassau S. to win the G1 Prix Jean Romanet, and to William Haggas, who completed a fantastic week in style with simultaneous victories in the G2 Prix de Pomone with Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and G3 Tally-Ho Stud Ballyogan S. at Naas with Perfect News (GB) (Frankel {GB}). 

Sea La Rosa also brought up an impressive double for both her dam Soho Rose (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and breeder Guy Heald following the win of her brother Deauville Legend (Ire) in the G2 Dante S. at York. 

Only Yann Barberot managed to keep a group race at home for the French trainers this weekend, and that has been a theme in Deauville again this summer, with 13 of the 17 group races having been won by British or Irish trainers, including all five Group 1 contests.

Golden Moments

Both Nathaniel (Ire) and Golden Horn (GB) have covered a number of National Hunt mares this year, and indeed the latter is now officially standing as a dual-purpose sire at Overbury Stud from next season. But both are still eminently capable of getting decent Flat runners, as exemplified by results at York this week.

Godolphin's Trawlerman (GB) landed the valuable Ebor H. under Frankie Dettori, while Haskoy (GB) became the second of Golden Horn's daughters to win the Listed Galtres S. The Juddmonte-bred filly, who was making just her second start, is out of a mare by Nathaniel, who also featured as the damsire of G3 Solario S. winner Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the first foal of Group 1 winner God Given (GB).

Meanwhile, though the G2 Lonsdale Cup was drastically depleted by the defections of Stradivarius (Ire) and Trueshan (Fr), there was plenty to enjoy about the emphatic victory of Nathaniel's five-year-old son Quickthorn (GB) for his owner/breeder Lady Blyth.

While we are handing out bouquets, the mighty mare Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) deserves an extra-large one for winning back-to-back Group 1s in Deauville and York within 12 days, to take her tally to 11 wins from 29 starts for her owner/breeder John Fairley and trainer John Quinn.

Another should go to the Whitsbury Manor Stud broodmare Suelita (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), who added the G3 Acomb S. winner Chaldean  (GB) (Frankel {GB}) – a rare non-homebred runner for Juddmonte – to her list of black-type performers which now numbers five and includes the G2 Mill Reef S winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). 

Finally, one trainer who almost certainly hasn't been bashed over the head with a frying pan by Sir Mark Prescott, but who, like Haggas, has enjoyed a fruitful week, is Ralph Beckett. Within five minutes on Saturday his stable was represented by the G2 City of York S. winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Listed Chester S. victrix River of Stars (Ire), who was one of five stakes winners for Sea The Stars last week. Beckett's good week also included the aforementioned Haskoy among his seven winners.

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Seven Days: Veni, Vidi, Vici, Vadeni

This season we appear to have been gifted an above average crop of 3-year-olds, along with some truly exciting older horses who have remained in training. It is as it should be, but things don't always work out that way. 

France and England exchanged Group 1 races at the weekend: on Saturday it was a case of veni, vidi, vici for Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), who gave France a first victory in the race since 1960, when it was won by the Percy Carter-trained Javelot (Fr) (Fast Fox {Fr}). The prize had also gone to France the year before Javelot when the winner was Saint Crespin (Fr) (Aureole {GB}), trained by Alec Head for Prince Aly Khan, the father of Vadeni's owner/breeder HH Aga Khan IV.

Then, in a stellar comeback performance in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday, Kirsten Rausing's lovely grey mare Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) added yet another win to her unbroken string which now extends to six, including four Group 1s. 

Hundred Up

There can be few better ways to celebrate 100 years of Aga Khan Studs breeding than by providing the sport with the pre-eminent 3-year-old colt of the season so far, and that is how we must view Vadeni following his success in the Prix du Jockey Club against his peers and subsequent Eclipse success. 

When Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) lined up for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and then returned to scale in tandem after finishing first and second, it was hard to split them on looks. Both dark bay colts are big, strong and solid, and Native Trail appeared to have come on again when glimpsed in the paddock before the Eclipse. As befits a race of its status, it was a good-looking field, albeit none of the six runners were brought into the pre-parade ring, to the disappointment of a significant number of people who had gathered there to see them. With the numbers through the gates at racecourses falling this year it seems madness to disappoint the faithful and serious racegoers by depriving them of one of the most important aspects of a day at the races: the opportunity to inspect the runners parading before they are saddled. It is not just Sandown where this has slipped, as a number of runners in both the Derby and the Oaks came up so late to the parade ring at Epsom that they took only one turn before going to post.

That grumble aside, once in the main parade ring, Native Trail, Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) and Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {Ire}) were the three most imposing colts. It has to be said that the smaller and quite slight Vadeni did not match this trio on looks, but handsome is as handsome does, and the whippet in the pack of greyhounds was given the perfect slipstream ride by Christophe Soumillon, who produced him with a flourish to make a devastating challenge two furlongs from home to win what will surely be one of the best races of the year.

Vadeni's grand-dam, the G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), was one of 74 horses in training purchased among a batch of 222 horses which formed the entire racing and breeding operation of the late Jean-Luc Lagardere in 2005, including his stallion, Linamix (Fr). The amalgamation of the Lagardere bloodlines with the Aga Khan stock, following earlier acquisitions from fellow influential breeders Marcel Boussac and Francois Dupre, has continued to revitalise the Aga Khan Studs broodmare band while working in tandem with lines that have been nurtured by the operation throughout the last century. 

Jean-Claude Rouget is no stranger to big-race success in his home country but Vadeni was his first Group 1 winner in Britain since Almanzor (Fr) landed the Champion S. in 2016. Vadeni has drawn favourable comparisons with that former Rouget stable star and it seems likely that he will attempt to emulate him in the Irish Champion S. come September. 

Alpinista Scales New Heights

As we wait to see if Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) or Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) can get the better of their elders in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. later this month, two serious challengers for that race announced their fine form over the weekend. Alpinista, who has her roots in an Aga Khan family through her fourth dam Alruccaba (Ire) (Crystal Palace {FR}), last met Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) when trouncing him by almost three lengths in the Grosser Preis von Berlin last August. That was the first of her three Group 1 wins in Germany last term and, as if to silence those that can be sniffy about German form, Torquator Tasso went on to win the Grosser Preis von Baden followed by the Arc, while Alpinista has now continued her unstoppable run of six victories with a rousing victory over fellow Frankel-sired Baratti (GB) at Saint-Cloud.

“She's in better form than the trainer,” Sir Mark Prescott told the TDN on Monday as the dust settled on Alpinista's first racecourse appearance in 238 days. She had originally been entered for the Coronation Cup but had been withdrawn from that potential engagement with Prescott feeling she wasn't ready for her seasonal resumption. Even ahead of Sunday he wasn't sure that the 5-year-old was quite there.

“Her coat wasn't as good as I would have liked and I felt she was still a gallop short but I was probably wrong on the way she won,” he continued. “I think it's the first time she has really impressed. She's been jolly good at winning races but perhaps not at impressing people. 

“It's a real pleasure to have her. With a filly, everything they put on in black type enhances them tremendously and even if they are beaten it's not a catastrophe because they are remembered for their best. Whereas a colt is remembered for his worst and if you get it wrong you can knock astronomical sums off their value. So I think all trainers would agree with me that training a top-class filly is a lot less pressure than training a top-class colt.”

Prescott knows plenty about top-class fillies, and from this high-achieving Lanwades family in particular. In the yard at his Heath House stand the statues of Alpinista's grand-dam Albanova (GB) (Alzao) and her full-sister Alborada (GB), who between them won five Group 1 races for the stable. Like her grand-daughter, Albanova's trio of top-flight wins were recorded in Germany, while Alborada won back-to-back runnings of the Champion S in its original (and rightful) home of Newmarket. She also won the G2 Nassau S. and G2 Pretty Polly S. of 1998, both of which have subsequently been promoted to Group 1 status. 

Prescott also trained Alpinista's dam, Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}). He recalled, “Her mother was little but very tough and straightforward, very genuine. She won her Listed race more by application than ability. This one [Alpinista] has plenty of ability. When she shot clear I think everybody among her supporters let out a cheer for her.”

That we did. And now we can hope to see her at Ascot for the King George, with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe her longer-range target. Last year's Arc winner Torquator Tasso clearly needs a bit of warming up from his winter breaks as he has finished sixth in his last two seasonal debuts before clicking into top gear. On Saturday at Hamburg he put his tardy start behind him with an eased-down victory in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis.

Peter Michael Endres, representing his owner Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke's Gestut Auenquelle, mapped out a clear plan after the race which takes in the King George, followed by return raids on Baden-Baden and ParisLongchamp for his last two starts ahead of a stud career.

Sammarco: 'The Dream Of My Life'

When Torquator Tasso eventually retires to Gestut Auenquelle he has big shoes to fill if he is to follow the example of the stud's resident stallion Soldier Hollow, who has been champion sire and champion broodmare sire in Germany on multiple occasions. 

It was in the latter role that he featured in the pedigree of the winner of Sunday's G1 Deutsches Derby, Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who is owned and was bred by Helmut von Finck of Gestut Park Wiedingen, who also raced and still owns Soldier Hollow.

Von Finck, who has 15 broodmares at his farm in northern Germany, on Monday reflected on a Classic victory that was the culmination of decades of breeding.

“He's such a good horse, very relaxed at home but such a fighter on the track,” he said of the Peter Schiergen-trained Sammarco. “It has been my dream for 35 years to get the Derby winner and now I have done it as an owner and breeder with a horse from my own stud who is from a mare by my stallion. It is the dream of my life. It fulfils 35 years of work.”

He continued, “Sammarco is really well this morning and lost only a few kilos in the race. He's happy and very relaxed out in the paddock. He has had four starts for three wins and a second, and now he has won the Derby on his fourth start. Everything is perfect.”

The breeder, who will be offering Sammarco's half-brother by Areion (Ger) at the BBAG Yearling Sale in early September, outlined a potential clash with Torquator Tasso at Baden-Baden on the weekend immediately following the sale.

He continued, “I would like to give him a break from racing for eight weeks and then go to the Grosser Preis von Baden. I don't want him to do too much as a 3-year-old as my plan is to race him at four.”

Von Finck currently has five mares in foal to his treble champion sire Soldier Hollow, whose sons Pastorius (Ger) and Weltstar (Ger) are both German Derby winners. Now 22, he currently leads the German broodmares sires' table ahead of another former Auenquelle resident, the late Big Shuffle. 

He added, “Soldier Hollow is also the broodmare sire of Schnell Meister, a Grade I winner in Japan. I'm very proud of him going towards his third championship as broodmare sire. He covered 45 mares last year and I am happy to have five mares in foal to him. He's not the youngest but he is very well and still capable of covering that number.”

Hollie in Hamburg

The offspring of the Gestut Rottgen mare Wellenspiel (Ger) (Sternkoenig {Ire}) have played starring roles on German Derby weekend right from the off, with her first two foals, Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Weltstar (Ger}) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), winning the Derby in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Their younger half-sister Well Disposed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has now added more kudos to the family by landing the G3 Mehl-Mulhens Trophy on the Derby undercard. 

Her victory marked the first in the country for Classic-winning jockey Hollie Doyle, who also rode for Gestut Rottgen in the Derby aboard the filly Wagnis (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). She fared less well in this Classic, which suffered a near 30-minute delay while the rails were realigned with the runners at the post, and Doyle was lucky to remain in the saddle when Wagnis stumbled badly on the turn. Winner of the G3 Diana Trial by five lengths on her previous start, the filly regained her composure and ran on to be 11th of the 20 runners. 

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Seven Days: Bringing Out The Big Guns

A few weeks ago the bookmaker Fitzdares made Dubawi (Ire) favourite to be champion sire this year for the first time, and perhaps no horse deserves it more than Darley's utterly dependable 20-year-old. However, the race to the top will not be easy, particularly judging by the apparent strength in depth of the challenge of Frankel's offspring for this year's major races.

Though the reigning champion, as well as the Gosden stable and owner-breeders Cheveley Park Stud, were dealt a blow by the withdrawal of Inspiral (GB) from Sunday's QIPCO 1000 Guineas, the season is but young. The G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot now seems to be the favoured target for Inspiral's reappearance, and naturally she also holds entries for the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Oaks.

In the meantime, Frankel has not been short of promising 3-year-olds to represent him in the past week, with a number of them signalling the blossoming of the Gosden yard, which had been a little slower to spring to life this season compared to last. The six winners from Clarehaven Stables over the last seven days included a Saturday double from Nashwa (GB) and Magisterial (GB), both by Frankel and both with Epsom on their agenda.

Nashwa represents the 'Cracksman cross' of Frankel on Pivotal (GB), the filly's dam, Princess Loulou (Ire) having been bought as a yearling from breeder David Brown of Furnace Mill Stud for 310,000gns. Having raced for the partnership of Imad Al Sagar and Saleh Al Homaizi, finishing runner-up in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet and then landing the Listed Gillies Fillies' S. on her final start, Princess Loulou is now wholly owned by Al Sagar. The Kuwaiti owner-breeder has continued to be a significant solo presence among the British ranks and earlier this year bolstered his team at Blue Diamond Stud with the appointments of Teddy Grimthorpe and Ted Voute. Nashwa's odds quartered for the Oaks following her facile win on Saturday, and she would be fully deserving of a place at Epsom in a bid to give her owner his chance of celebrating a third Classic success following Authorized (Ire) in the Derby and Araafa (Ire) in the Irish 2000 Guineas.

Owner-breeder Bjorn Nielsen has made no secret of how he yearns to win the Derby, and he has a potential candidate this year in Magisterial, the Frankel colt out of Hoity Toity (GB) (Darshaan {GB}). Epsom omens can be found not too far away in his pedigree as Magisterial's half-sister Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) is the dam of the 2016 Oaks heroine Minding (Ire), by Frankel's sire Galileo (Ire), and indeed that mighty racemare's full-sister Tuesday (Ire) is currently favourite for this year's Oaks following her maiden win at Naas in March.

A Day At The Races

Second-favourite to Tuesday in the Oaks betting following the most visually impressive performance of last week is another Gosden trainee, Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Bred under a foal-share arrangement between her sire's owner, the Tsuis' Sunderland Holdings, and Lordship Stud, the statuesque filly was let go as a yearling for 60,000gns at October Book 2. She now has two wins to her name from two starts, and carried seven pounds more than her 11 rivals on Friday for her initial victory at Wolverhampton last November, which makes her nine-and-a-half-length win even more noteworthy. 

“Not many horses take my breath away,” said Frankie Dettori after dismounting from Emily Upjohn, who takes her name from a character in the Marx Brothers film A Day At The Races and hails from the immediate family of Sea The Stars's Derby winner Harzand (Ire). The jockey, who would know better than anyone, added ominously, “Enable was big and it never stopped her.”

John Gosden has won the Oaks three times in the last eight years, starting with another daughter of Sea The Stars, Taghrooda (Ire). The stable looks well placed to add Thady Gosden's name to a Classic roll of honour this season, even without Inspiral lining up this Sunday at Newmarket. 

Frankel Abounds

Godolphin weren't exactly short of Derby entries, with 13 remaining in the list, but that number was boosted by one last Tuesday when a rare well-bred colt without an entry, Nahanni (GB)–yep, you've guessed it, another son of Frankel–landed the 'win and you're in' Listed Cazoo Blue Riband Trial at Epsom. Out of a Street Cry (Ire) half-sister to Godolphin's St Leger winner Mastery (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}), Nahanni is already a winner over the Derby distance, but at least four of his Charlie Appleby stable-mates remain ahead of him in the betting. 

Friday's G3 Classic Trial at Sandown went the way of yet another Frankel, the Juddmonte homebred Westover (GB), who narrowly came out on top after a tussle with Cash (Ire) (Shamardal). Trained by Ralph Beckett, Westover is a full-brother to Monarchs Glen (GB), one of Frankel's earliest stakes winners. Their dam Mirabilis (Lear Fan)–a Grade III winner in 2006 for the man whom Frankel was named–is a half-sister to the G1 Prix de Diane winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat).

It was disappointing to see only three runners for the G3 Gordon Richards S. on Sandown's Friday card and, with two of those being by Frankel, it was no surprise to see him with yet another back-type victor to his credit. This time it was his 4-year-old son Mostahdaf (GB), owned and bred by Shadwell, and it was another good result for the resurgent Gosden stable, which was also previously home to Mostahdaf's dual Group 1-winning half-sister Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Mountain High

Among a potentially strong team of older horses for Frankel this season is Kirsten Rausing's treble Group 1 winner Alpinista (GB), who looks set to return in the G1 Coronation Cup, in which she could face last year's Derby winner Adayar (Ire), who shares her sire. 

Alpinista was the first foal of her dam Alwilda (GB), a Listed-winning daughter of the late Lanwades sire Hernando (Fr) and Albanova (GB) (Alzao), who, like her grand-daughter, also won three Group 1 races in Germany. 

Alwilda's second foal, a 3-year-old filly named Alpenblume (GB) (Kendargent {Fr}), has been entrusted by her breeder to second-season Chantilly trainer and old family friend Tim Donworth, who on Sunday sent the filly out to win on debut at Le Pin au Haras.

Interestingly, Scandinavian legend cites Alwilda as a princess-turned-pirate, and she was the inspiration for the tragic poem Il Re Torrismondo, by Torquato Tasso. Food for thought for future mating plans when last year's Arc winner retires to stud.

Ascot Pointers

While Frankel's runners have been dominating the news this week, the name currently at the head of the general sires' list in Europe is Dark Angel (Ire), and he was represented by a hotly anticipated runner on Thursday when Battaash's full-brother The Antarctic (Ire) overcame a little unrest in the stalls to win well on debut for Aidan O'Brien. 

The colt, out of Anna Law (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), was the first of two winners on the Tipperary card for his breeder Ballyphilip Stud. The second came in the following race when Messa Concertata (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}), who is also out of a Lawman mare, took the 3-year-old maiden for Joseph Murphy. 

While it seems fair to assume that O'Brien will be aiming The Antarctic towards Royal Ascot, one of his winners last week who confirmed his ticket to Berkshire was New York City (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who has the G1 Commonwealth Cup on his agenda after winning the Listed Committed S. at Navan. Both Aidan and Joseph O'Brien will now be high on the Christmas card list for the Cantillon family of Tinnakill House, who bred New York City from the G1 Falmouth S. winner Rajeem (GB) (Diktat {GB}), whom they purchased from Darley for €26,000 in 2015. Earlier that year the mare had foaled subsequent G2 Duke Of York S. winner Invincible Army (Ire), a full-brother to New York City who is now at Yeomanstown Stud alongside Dark Angel. The Tinnakill team also bred Joseph O'Brien's globetrotting stable star State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), winner of the G1 Cox Plate and GI Saratoga Derby.

A True Gem

Moyglare Stud has enjoyed a decent start to the season, with Group 3 winner Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who remains in the picture for Sunday's 1000 Guineas, and first-time-out juvenile winner Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). Better still, on Saturday Eva Bucher-Haefner's operation had the first two home in the Listed Vintage Crop S with full-siblings, the third-generation homebreds Kyprios (Ire) and Search For A Song (Ire), both by Galileo and aged four and six respectively. 

They are but two of eight black-type winners for their dam Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill), two of whom, Search For A Song and Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), are Group 1 winners. Now a true blue hen for Moyglare, Polished Gem's sole win in five starts came in a Leopardstown maiden, and she was outshone on the track by her full-sister, the GI Matriarch S. winner Dress To Thrill (Ire), who won six stakes races and was runner-up in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. Less fortunate at stud, however, Dress To Thrill left six foals, only two of whom won, before she died as an 11-year-old. 

Another of their siblings, Trust In Luck (Ire) (Nashwan), features as the grand-dam of the G1 National S. winner Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).

Chez Pierre Remains Unbeaten

Mehmas (Ire) hasn't put a foot wrong since retiring to Tally-Ho Stud, and has been both the leading first- and second-crop sire in Europe. His statistics in the U.S. make for interesting reading, too, albeit from a small sample to date, though it's easy to see that changing in the coming years, especially with the renewed participation of American buyers at European yearling sales.

Over the weekend, Chez Pierre (Fr), who was unbeaten in France when trained by Francis Graffard, has kept a clean sheet since being sold to race in the States, winning at Tampa Bay in March before landing his first stakes success in the Listed Henry S Clark S. at Laurel Park for Lael Stables and trainer Arnaud Delacour.

Chez Pierre is the third black-type winner in America for Mehmas following GI Del Mar Oaks victrix Going Global (Ire), who is a winning machine across the Atlantic with six graded stakes to her name, and the listed winner Quatroelle (Ire). 

Malavath (Ire), who has to have a decent chance of giving Mehmas his first Classic winner in Sunday's 1000 Guineas, was second in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, while Tetragonal (Ire), Keeper Of Time (Ire) and Optimising (Ire) are also stakes placed. In total, of Mehmas's 14 runners in America, eight have won.

Rogue In Vogue

There aren't too many Dubawi fillies who change hands for 35,000gns, but that was the price paid for Rogue Millennium (Ire), who was bought by Billy Jackson-Stops on behalf of trainer Tom Clover and owners The Rogues Gallery from the Shadwell draft last December.

In a good week for the Newmarket trainer, the 3-year-old out of the G3 Cumberland Lodge S. winner Hawaafez (GB) (Nayef) made her debut at Wetherby and hinted at a bright future ahead with a decisive win. Her page also has plenty of depth to it, featuring Group 1 winners Moonlight Cloud (GB), Generous (Ire) and Imagine (Ire).

It wasn't only the Clover stable celebrating the victory as Robbie Mills of RMM Bloodstock consigns Rogue Millennium's half-sister by Awtaad (Ire) to this week's Guineas Breeze-up Sale at Tattersalls as Lot 315. With a perfectly-timed update, let's hope she posts a similarly well-timed breeze on the Rowley Mile on Tuesday morning. 

The post Seven Days: Bringing Out The Big Guns appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Lanwades A Study In Thoroughbred Excellence

Kirsten Rausing experienced a season to remember last year, with triple German Group 1 winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. victress Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) and the dual Group 1-placed Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) the highlights of a handful of talented fillies and mares on the racecourse. All three of those train on in 2022, and Rausing has plenty to look forward to in her stallion ranks at Lanwades Stud, too; Sea The Moon (Ger) stands for £25,000, his highest fee yet, while Study Of Man's first yearlings are catching the eye. Bobby's Kitten has a couple of talented 3-year-old fillies to look forward to this year, while Sir Percy, the elder statesman of the stud barn at 19, has a pair of Classic contenders.

Rausing is known to support her stallions at Lanwades heavily, especially in their early years, and therefore Study Of Man in particular will get a huge boost from Rausing's broodmare band in his third season. The TDN's Kelsey Riley caught up with Rausing to discuss her mating plans, her stallions and the horses she is looking forward to on the racecourse this year.

TDN: Study Of Man's appeal as a stallion prospect is pretty obvious, he being a beautifully bred son of Deep Impact who won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, but tell us in your own words why you wanted him for Lanwades.

KR: It's hard to find a better-bred horse anywhere. It's a lovely female family with Miesque as his second dam, and it's a family I've known a very long time since the 1970s through [Miesque's dam] Pasadoble. For me it was very important that Study Of Man is by Deep Impact; we have no other such horse in Britain and only Saxon Warrior (Jpn) in Ireland and as good as he was, Saxon Warrior is out of a Galileo (Ire) mare, which in some ways makes him a bit more difficult [to mate] in terms of the prevalence of Galileo in the mare population.

I've had a long-standing and very good working relationship with the Niarchos Family, especially Maria Niarchos. Her father, Mr. Stavros Niarchos, was a shareholder in Niniski in the early 1980s when I first came to Newmarket, and with that share in Niniski they bred champion Hernando (Fr), and eventually from him champion Sulamani (Ire). Study Of Man is the third horse from the Niarchos's we have stood at Lanwades.

It's absolutely marvellous to have a son of Deep Impact here because he will suit a whole lot of mares in Europe and internationally. The Deep Impact sons now, with the early loss of the sire, have increased scarcity value and any mare with Kingmambo in her pedigree, such as my own mares by Archipenko (GB), will enjoy a reinforced line with Miesque, which will be very interesting to say the least.

TDN: What are your impressions physically of Study Of Man's first progeny?

KR: In the early stages what we have are short yearlings and foals, and I'm thrilled with them. It's probably incidental, but he looks to be a pure-breeding bay, which is of academic interest, but people like it. I think they're very representative of him and also Deep Impact; they're medium-sized, pretty correct, whole colored bay or with a few markings, no chestnuts and no grays. They're very good movers and as far as we can tell with excellent temperaments, as he has himself.

TDN: Sea The Moon stands his eighth season for his highest fee yet, £25,000. He stood his first six seasons for £15,000 and was £22,500 last year, and is widely regarded as an excellent value sire. Tell us a bit about his trajectory.

KR: Sea The Moon has surprised a few people-external people. He stood for £15,000 for his first six years and he has since increased in fee in 2021 and again in 2022, but even so he compares very favourably to the main stallion population in Europe. People understand that we are not trying to over-egg the pudding by increasing his fee exponentially, but he's done well enough to merit his fee.

Like Study Of Man for Deep Impact, Sea The Moon is the only son of Sea The Stars (Ire) at stud in England, and one of actually quite few sons of Sea The Stars at stud in Europe to date. He was an exceptional racehorse himself and anyone who saw him winning the German Derby by 11 lengths would not likely forget it. I was already in negotiations with his owner/breeders Gestut Gorlsdorf at the time, and we eventually landed him here in Newmarket at Lanwades. I think quite a few people were surprised by this addition, but he was pretty well instantly booked full and has been ever since.

He has attracted, for obvious reasons, a whole lot of mares from Germany, but we also get a lot of mares from France and Ireland here, so it's an international book that he covers, which I think is attractive to breeders as well because it means you have the yearlings spaced out at different sales; you don't get 40 yearlings by the same stallion in one sale. He has been very commercially attractive in all the European markets. For him he had a relatively quiet year last year but he has started very well this year with Pretty Tiger (Ire), who won a listed race at Cagnes about a week ago, and he won a Group 2 last year. There are some interesting-looking Sea The Moons that are now 3-year-olds coming through, but it's early days. I'd like to think that my own Allada (GB), trained by Tim Donworth in France, might be good enough to figure in major contests, and no doubt there are plenty of others waiting in the wings.

TDN: Bobby's Kitten has a couple exciting 3-year-old fillies for this year, while Sir Percy, despite breeding smaller books now, has a pair of Classic hopefuls.

KR: I'm thrilled with the success of Bobby's Kitten having Sandrine, and [debut winner] Heat Of The Moment (GB) looks quite promising too.

Old Sir Percy has come up with two Classic candidates; not only [the listed-winning] Kawida (GB), but also the Lanwades-bred Lucellum (GB) in France. He's trained by Andre Fabre for Sheikh Mohammed and he is a French Derby aspirant. It's pretty good of old Sir Percy with nowadays narrow representation and small crops to come up with two such good 2-year-olds last year.

TDN: You've typically kept a few mares in Kentucky, too. Is that the case again this year?

KR: Sadly, for the first time in 35 years, I don't have a mare in Kentucky. I usually have between two and four mares in Kentucky, and I've always mated them with a view to the produce coming back to Europe. I found very, very good value in the old days in Kentucky; I could not afford the Nureyevs and the Blushing Grooms of this world, but in the layer beneath that the Irish Rivers, Rivermans, that sort of horse, were exceptionally good value for Europe and I used them and indeed also Kingmambo with the help of the Niarchos Family. Smart Strike I used many times. Stormy Atlantic was one of my favourites and he's done me very, very well. Lookin At Lucky and Nyquist were the younger horses I used, but unfortunately the two industries have become more and more divergent. I brought my Lookin at Luckys and my Nyquists back here and people said, 'who are they? We've never heard of them.'

I have one mare in foal to Hard Spun this year and she's come back here, but sadly I am fresh out of mares in Kentucky for the first time in 35 years, which is a regret to me, but I just cannot find stallions within my reach in Kentucky that are suitable for European racing.

I think what is interesting is that there were so many American purchases of yearlings in Europe last year. It's good that the American industry is replenishing with European pedigrees, because 30 or 40 years ago the traffic was all the other way. It would be infinitely attractive to international buyers if pedigrees were again more interactive.

TDN: You have some very exciting fillies and mares to look forward to on the racecourse this year. Tell us about how they're wintering and what the plans might be for the season.

KR: It's early days yet but they've all had their winter holidays and they're all back in training and so far so good. But if they aren't alright at this time of year, they never will be. At the moment all my geese are swans, but we need to see what happens later in the spring.

We might not even run Sandrine in a trial race, but if we do there are two obvious races over seven furlongs, the Nell Gwyn and the [Fred Darling]. I think Andrew Balding would be quite keen to run her first time out in the 1000 Guineas.

I wouldn't say Allada is an early-season mile type. At present we plan to run her in the Listed Prix Rose de Mai on Mar. 10, which I think is the first black-type race for 3-year-old fillies in Europe, and we'll see where we go from there.

Heat Of The Moment might well go in one of the Classic trials at Newbury or Newmarket, but we have an idea of the French 1000 Guineas for her.

It's going to be very difficult for Alpinista to maintain her success at Group 1 level. She's done her bit in Germany, so we have to think of Group 1s closer to home now. Most all of them, other than the Yorkshire Oaks, she would have to meet the colts, and there are some very good colts in training not least Godolphin's two Derby winners. But that's the idea. Albaflora, the idea with her is to try to win a group race of some description and hopefully a Group 1. She's shown she's well up to Group 1 standards. She needs to probably meet the colts and we'll possibly look at opportunities in France and Germany for her.

Lanwades Stud 2022 Mating Plans

ALEA IACTA (GB) (m, 10, Invincible Spirit {Ire}-Almiranta {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), visits Study Of Man (Jpn)

Alea Iacta is a great-granddaughter of world champion 3-year-old filly Alborada. The winner herself of the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon, Alea Iacta's first three foals are all winners, including Aleas (GB) (Archipenko), who won the Listed Glasgow S. Alea Iacta's fourth foal is a yearling colt by Study Of Man (Jpn), and she is due to Sea The Moon (Ger) this season.

ALOE VERA (GB) (m, 6, Invincible Spirit {Ire}-Almiranta {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), visits Study Of Man

Aloe Vera is a black-type winning full-sister to Alea Iacta and likewise visits Lanwades's resident G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Study Of Man. Her first foal is a colt by Wootton Bassett (GB).

ALYSSA (GB) (m, 9, Sir Percy {GB}-Almiranta {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}), visits Study Of Man

Alyssa, a G2 Park Hill S.-winning half-sister to Alea Iacta and Aloe Vera, also visits Study Of Man and is due to Kingman (GB). Their half-sister Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), who was second last year in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 British Champions Fillies and Mares S., stays in training this year with Ralph Beckett.

Almiranta has had just one colt, which was unraced, from her first eight foals, and her first four fillies-Alea Iacta, Alyssa, Aloe Vera and Albaflora-are all stakes winners. Her 4-year-old is the Bobby's Kitten filly Alambrista (GB), and she has a 3-year-old Sea The Moon filly named Allemande (GB) and a yearling filly by Study Of Man. Both Almiranta and her listed-winning dam Alvarita (GB) (Selkirk) are due to foal to Study of Man, and their 2022 matings have not been confirmed.

ALL AT SEA (GB) (m, 11, Sea The Stars {Ire}-Albanova {GB}, by Alzao), visits Study Of Man

All At Sea is a daughter of the multiple Group 1-winning Albanova. A multiple French listed winner herself, she is a sister to three stakes winners including Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}), the dam of last year's triple Group 1-winning filly Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Two of All At Sea's first three foals are winners, including the listed-placed A La Voile (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the promising Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), and she visits Study Of Man after foaling to Lope De Vega (Ire).

A LA VOILE (GB) (m, 5, Invincible Spirit {Ire}-All At Sea {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), visits Zarak

“A La Voile visits Zarak for her first covering,” said Rausing. “Her very promising half-brother Eldar Eldarov is by Dubawi, as is Zarak, and Zarak and the mare herself both trace back to the Aga Khan's great Mumtaz Begum. The family diverged and some of them became 'ALs' and some of them became 'Zs' in the Aga Khan's stud book. But it will make a pretty pattern when you look at the hopefully resulting foal. Whether it will work only time will tell, but it will be an interesting one anyway.”

ALGARADE (GB) (m, 18, Green Desert-Alexandrine {Ire}, by Nashwan), visits Sea The Moon

Algarade, a granddaughter of the great producer Alruccaba (Ire) (Crystal Palace {Fr}), is the dam of promising 3-year-old Allada (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), and will return to her sire after foaling a Bobby's Kitten. She has a yearling filly by Time Test (GB).

ALWILDA (GB) (m, 12, Hernando {Fr}-Albanova {GB}, by Alzao), visits Frankel (GB)

Alwilda is a half-sister to All At Sea and is the dam of German champion and triple Group 1 winner Alpinista as her first foal. She has already produced a filly by Iffraaj (GB) this year and returns to Frankel.

LADY JANE DIGBY (GB) (m, 17, Oasis Dream {GB}-Scandalette {GB}, by Niniski), visits Study Of Man

The Group 1-winning Lady Jane Digby has produced seven winners from her first seven foals. She has a filly foal by Sea The Moon and visits Study Of Man, as do her winning daughters Aventuriere (GB) (Archipenko) and Dame Freya Stark (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). A third winning daughter, Francophilia (GB) (Frankel {GB}), is in foal to Study Of Man and visits Sea The Moon.

HERE TO ETERNITY (Stormy Atlantic-Heat Of The Night {GB}, by Lear Fan), visits St Mark's Basilica (Fr)

Here to Eternity's first two foals are the G1 Hong Kong Cup winners Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) and Glorious Forever (GB) (Archipenko). Her 2-year-old Davideo (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is with Ralph Beckett, she has a yearling filly by Dubawi (Ire) and is currently in foal to Study Of Man. She visits Coolmore first-season sire St Mark's Basilica.

HEAT OF THE NIGHT (GB) (m, 20, Lear Fan-Hot Thong {Brz}, by Jarraar), visits Study Of Man

Here To Eternity's dam has a promising 3-year-old for 2022 in Heat Of The Moment (GB) (Bobby's Kitten), and she will visit Study Of Man, having already foaled a filly by him this season.

LEADERENE (GB) (m, 11, Selkirk-La Felicita {GB}, by Shareef Dancer), visits Sir Percy (GB)

A mating with Lanwades elder statesman Sir Percy for the stakes-producing Leaderene will result in a full-sibling to Lucellum (GB), who is a G1 Prix du Jockey Club candidate for Godolphin and trainer Andre Fabre.

LUISA CALDERON (GB) (m, 10, Nayef-La Felicita {GB}, by Shareef Dancer), visits Cityscape

Luisa Calderon is a half-sister to Leaderene and a full-sister to the G1 Prix de l'Opera winner and group producer Lady Marian (Ger) (Nayef). She has a 2-year-old colt by New Approach (Ire) with Ralph Beckett and visits Cityscape, who is by Leaderene's sire Selkirk. “I always use Cityscape and I'm sending two mares to him this year,” Rausing said.

MADAME CHIANG (GB) (m, 11, Archipenko-Robe Chinoise {GB}, by Robellino), visits Siyouni (Fr)

G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. winner Madame Chiang has three winning fillies from three foals of racing age, including the listed-winning and multiple group-placed Oriental Mystique (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Madame Chiang has a 2-year-old Galileo (Ire) colt with Ralph Beckett, a yearling filly by Study Of Man and visits Siyouni this season.

ORIENTAL MYSTIQUE (GB) (m, 5, Kingman {GB}-Madame Chiang {GB}, by Archipenko), visits St Mark's Basilica

While her dam is bound for Normandy to visit France's leading sire Siyouni, Oriental Mystique visits his world champion son St Mark's Basilica at Coolmore after foaling to Study Of Man.

KESARA (GB) (m, 17, Sadler's Wells-Kaldounya {GB}, by Kaldoun {Fr}), mating TBD

Kesara is the dam of multiple Australian Group 1 winner Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), and her 2-year-old filly Zaakara (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) has joined Sir Michael Stoute. Kesara is in foal to Study Of Man with a 2022 mating yet to be confirmed. Her winning daughter Kandahari (GB) (Archipenko) also visits Study Of Man, as does Arriviste (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), a granddaughter of Kesara.

STARLIT SANDS (GB) (m, 17, Oasis Dream {GB}-Shimmering Sea {GB}, by Slip Anchor {GB}), visits Mehmas (Ire)

Starlit Sands is a descendant of Lanwades's foundation mare Sushila (Ire) (Petingo {GB}) and has produced six winners from her first seven foals including Sablonne (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a winner at two last year. She visits Mehmas, the third time she has been mated with a Royal Applause-line sire, the others being Expert Eye and Acclamation.

“Starlit Sands hasn't really worked with Royal Applause yet, but I'm hoping I'll get it right at the third attempt,” Rausing said. “Maybe I'm pushing this too far by trying a third time, but you never know.”

SEYCHELLOISE (GB) (m, 10, Pivotal {GB}-Starlit Sands {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}), visits Frankel (GB)

A daughter of Starlit Sands, Seychelloise is the dam of two winners from two to race headed by last year's G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. and G3 Albany S. winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten). She visits Frankel after foaling to Sea The Moon.

SANDS OF TIME (GB) (Bobby's Kitten-Starlit Sands {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}), visits Ardad (GB)

Another winning daughter of Starlit Sands, Sands Of Time visits one of the standout members of last year's first-season sire crop in Ardad at Overbury Stud. “With Sandrine's three-parts sister Sands Of Time, I'm trying to stay with a sprinting outlook, so that's why she goes to Ardad, who has done exceptionally well with his first crop,” Rausing said.

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