Homecoming King Bids to Rule California

ARCADIA, USA — We may be biased over here in the European edition, but for the turfistes out there, the race of this weekend is the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.

Primarily there's the scintillating prospect of a rematch between the first two home in the Derby, Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who between them have picked off the Irish Derby, Irish Champion S., King Edward VII S., and Champion S. since Epsom. 

To that duo we can add the top-rated horse still in training in Europe, Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), whose victories in the Prince of Wales's S. and Juddmonte International have made a significant contribution towards Sheikha Hissa's Shadwell operation being named champion owner in Britain in 2023. 

Then, for France, there's Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who featured in these pages on Tuesday, plus the Japanese Derby winner of 2021, Shahryar (Jpn), another son of Deep Impact who added victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic to his travelling portfolio and has looked picture of poise and contentment these last few mornings during trackwork. 

If he handles the step up to a mile and a half for the first time, the hugely consistent Up To The Mark (Not This Time) shouldn't be overlooked as the best of the home-based challengers either, coming into the race off three straight Grade I wins for Todd Pletcher.

Of these leading contenders, arguably the horse who brings the biggest buzz with him is King Of Steel, who left the United States as a yearling but appears to be enjoying his homecoming of sorts as he strolls and struts about Santa Anita Park in the morning. The man who helped create the buzz on Champions Day, Frankie Dettori, has not been allowed back aboard him yet: that pleasure belongs to Robson Aguiar, who oversaw King Of Steel's early days of pre-training and has been in the saddle the last two mornings since the horse was released from quarantine. 

King Of Steel's trainer Roger Varian and his wife Hanako arrived in California on Tuesday evening and were out at the track early on Wednesday to watch him exercise just 11 days on from his epic mud-spattered victory at Ascot.

Varian, cautious by nature, said that his stable star gave him no reason not to travel to the Breeders' Cup for one last spin this year ahead of a winter break.

“He's really well,” the trainer confirmed. “We'll probably have to wait for the gates to open on Saturday to see for sure, but he's just had the five races this year, nicely spaced out, and he came out of Ascot so well it was hard not to bring him. 

“Obviously you have to listen to the horse but he was giving off very positive signals at home after Ascot and from what I've seen this morning he looks fantastic. He hasn't left an oat since Ascot, he hasn't left an oat since he arrived, he's drinking well and he looks a picture. He looks like he wants to race and it's a long winter so why not have another go?”

Why not indeed. While his Epsom conqueror Auguste Rodin is nestled in among his nine stable-mates out on the track each morning, King Of Steel has been going out solo and is certainly a quieter fellow than Mostahdaf, who left the quarantine barn moments before him on Wednesday and is clearly rehearsing for his future career in the stallion barn. 

Varian said, “He's got a great constitution and he takes it all well. It was his second morning out on the track and he didn't turn a hair.

“It's a good race with some good horses, but it's a $4 million race so it should be a strong contest. These are the races we want to be involved in, and in every run this year he's never run a bad race and he's looked a Group 1 horse. It's fair to say that he's still improving. A return to a mile and a half will suit him and I think a return to better ground will suit him.”

King Of Steel initially had two Breeders' Cup entries, with the Classic having been ruled out last week in favour of the Turf option, which will be a much firmer surface than he encountered at Ascot.

Varian continued, “He probably doesn't have the gate speed to consider the dirt at the moment but he might have the constitution for it, so I wouldn't rule it out one day. 

“He found a way to win at Ascot but I'm not sure he enjoyed the conditions. He never looked that happy from when the gates opened but Frankie was so good on him and left him alone. On a day of racing when pace was favoured throughout he was brave enough to leave the horse alone and let him find his feet and find a way to win. I think he's a better horse on better ground. He's a beautiful-moving horse, very well balanced, and he handled the undulations of Epsom on fast ground on Derby day. He shouldn't mind the ground here and he should improve for going around here.”

King Of Steel's owner Kia Joorabchian had signalled his keenness to bring the horse to California but Varian said that the decision was ultimately left to him.

“Kia wants to be here, yes, there is no hiding that fact,” he said. “But, equally, he was saying that unless I was 100 per cent happy with the horse then we shouldn't come. In a conservative way, I suppose I was looking for a reason not to come. Was he flat? Was there any reason? We could have finished on a high, waited for next year. But the horse has ticked every box since Ascot. We talked about it every day, myself and Kia. We could have easily said 'let's not go'. But he just got better and better through the week.

“We could have waited for next year but this is horse racing and next year doesn't always come. They can stand on a stone, they can get hurt in their stable, they can not be in as good form. But, in my opinion, he looked like he could run again, and that's why we are here. We won't be proven right or wrong until the day.”

Despite the build-up to what was in theory Dettori's final ride in Britain aboard King Of Steel in the Champion S., Varian admits that he was caught off guard by the rousing reception given to horse and rider as they returned to the winner's enclosure.

“Of course I knew it was his last ride but I hadn't prepared myself for what it would be like on the day. Maybe nobody had,” he said. “Who knew it would build into that final crescendo? I was caught out in the paddock. I didn't speak to Frankie. Of course I had spoken to him on the day but in the paddock I was 10 deep behind everyone else. I was just worried that the noise in the paddock would set the horse off. There were camera guys running up alongside him, I was trying to keep people quiet. Really, everything I did was on instinct as it could have unraveled. 

“The horse kept himself under control, the jockey kept himself under control – just about! Thankfully it all ended well and the aftermath was something I will never forget. Nobody will. It was incredible.”

 

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King Of Steel Will Travel To The Breeders’ Cup With the Turf The Likeliest Target

Amo Racing's G1 Champion S. victor King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has been given the go ahead to travel and contest the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita next weekend.

According to Amo's Kia Joorabchian, the massive grey is likely for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, of which the Champion S. was a “Win and You're In” on QIPCO British Champions Day.

“We've been monitoring him all week, I've spoken to Roger [Varian] almost every day and I went to see him this week,” Joorabchian told Nick Luck's Daily Podcast on Friday.

“To be honest Roger has said the same thing every day, he can't fault him and he's in great shape. He's come out of the race really well.

“Roger would always err on the side of caution, but he's very happy with him so he's going to travel today to Santa Anita so fingers crossed he should be running in, I'd say, most probably the Turf, but we haven't completely ruled anything out yet.”

The Varian trainee caused a stir when a game second in the G1 Derby behind fellow Turf aspirant Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) earlier this year, and he went on to prevail at Royal Ascot in the G2 King Edward VII S. Later in the summer, the colt was third in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. prior to a fourth in the G1 Irish Champion S. in mid-September.

He added, “The reality is, Roger and his team probably feel much more comfortable on the turf, as a 3-year-old I think we would edge towards the Turf. He's never run on dirt and the only factor is if he gets out of the gates a little bit slower he'd get a lot of dirt in his face. That is edging us more towards the Turf.

“The jockey [Frankie Dettori] arrived there yesterday, he sent me a video of himself working out.”

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Breeders’ Cup Still an Option for King Of Steel

The GI Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 4 remains under consideration for Amo Racing's G1 QIPCO Champion S. winner  King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

“He appears to have come out of the race physically in good shape, but he would have had a hard race yesterday and we can't ignore that. We just have to see how he is over the next week,” said the colt's trainer Roger Varian. 

“I know Kia is very keen on the Breeders' Cup anyway, in general, and if he could get a good horse there, then of course he'd want to be there.

“But in fairness to Kia, he's been very good all year and he's always said to me only run the horse when you're 100 per cent happy, and if you're not, we don't go.”

He added, “I'm sure that will be the same regarding California in a couple of weeks' time. We need to give it a few days to see what messages the horse is giving us, so I'm not going to take it off the table and we'll just see how he is.”

King Of Steel, who was runner-up to Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Derby, has raced just seven times in his career, and also triumphed at Royal Ascot in June in the G2 King Edward VII S. 

Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a late defector from the Champion S. as the ground deteriorated on Saturday, has been confirmed as on course for the Breeders' Cup Turf, which is likely to be the final race of his career.

The winner this season of the Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York, the John and Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old was ruled out of action after the stable won the first race of the day at Ascot with Trawlerman (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}).

“John and I had another look at it and spoke to Sheikha Hissa and said, 'look, it's your decision, but the ground isn't going to be in his favour', and John just felt it wasn't fair on the horse ending his career in ground we know he doesn't like – he couldn't hobble on it in the Arc last year,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for Mostahdaf's owner Shadwell.

“With the option of the Breeders' Cup still to come, there didn't seem any point in bowing out on a low note when we can go to California with a chance of running him on fast ground in a couple of weeks' time if he's still well.”

He added: “His best form here recently has been over a mile and a quarter, but over an American mile and a half, going down that hill for the first four furlongs or whatever it is, I think he'll stay it. He's a five-year-old now who has done brilliantly this year and I think if he does go to America that will be his last run.”

 

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Robson Aguiar Adds 88k Wooded Colt To Breeze-Up Team At Tattersalls Ireland

It has been a year to remember for Robson Aguiar, largely down to the exploits of Amo Racing's breakthrough Group 1 winner Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who he sourced for Kia Joorabchian's ownership vehicle. 

The ultra-shrewd Brazilian native snapped up a colt by Wooded (Ire), who is a brother to Amo's Phoenix S. hero, for €88,000 on day two of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and revealed afterwards that the plan was to go breezing for his new recruit. 

“I bought him for myself and he will breeze,” Aguiar said. “I saw a few by Wooded in France and I really liked them. Wooded is a full-brother to Bucanero Fuerte, who won our first Group 1, so it's nice to get one by him. He stood out in this sale. We are looking for quality and I think he is a nice horse.”

A brilliant winner of the Prix de l'Abbaye, Wooded stands at Haras de Bouquetot and his first yearlings have been well-received. Lot 347 was one of only two horses by the stallion in the sale and he represented a whopper of a pinhooking result for John Foley of Ballyvolane Stud who paid just €15,000 for the colt in February.

The Wooded colt who led the way at Tattersalls Ireland | Tattersalls

“Wooded was a Group 1-winning son of Wootton Bassett and I really wanted to buy one by the sire,” he explained. “He was a good-moving foal, a bit weak, and I thought there was a chance he might grow into a nice horse. He has thrived, really thickened out, and most people who saw him said that he was one of the better physicals here and that he stood out a little bit. He has been very popular.”

Foley added, “We always send five or six to sell at this sale and always try to send a couple of nice horses. There are a lot of British trainers here and the Tattersalls Ireland team does a great job getting people to the sale. It has been a lucky sale for us-we sold Sir Busker (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) here.”

Poste Picks Up Another Speedy-Looking Colt To Go Breezing

Charlie Poste spoke to TDN Europe on Tuesday about his reasons for branching out into the breeze-up game and, alongside Blandford Bloodstock's Tom Biggs, he continued his recruitment drive on day two. 

Top of Poste's list was a Blue Point (Ire) colt (lot 366) from Oak Lodge and Springfield House Stud for €78,000, which brought his total haul to €169,000 for four yearlings all told.

The Blue Point colt represented a fantastic touch for Reddy Coffey, who purchased the dam Platinum Coast (Speightstown) for just 4,500gns in 2019. 

He said, “It is a great result. Blue Point looks like he is going to be a proper sire. We bought the mare for just 4,500gns. She is by Speightstown and we thought the stallion's physique would suit the mare and he was a very fast horse. Who doesn't like a fast horse!”

Grant's Wishes Come Through With Sioux Nation Colt

Mark Grant knows a thing or two about fast horses. The leading breeze-up handler is famed for producing dual Royal Ascot winner Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) and came away from Fairyhouse with four yearlings bought for the upcoming season. 

Grant, who is based in Britain, said that the conversion rate from Sterling to Euro was a sweetener in going to €80,000 for a belter of a Sioux Nation colt (lot 373) from Glidawn Stud.

He said, “I thought the Sioux Nation was the best horse in the sale and I knew I'd have to pull a bit out for him. I think all of the right people were on him. Hopefully he will turn out to be a Craven horse.”

Grant also came away from Fairyhouse with an Earthlight colt from Moanmore Stables for €60,000, a Saxon Warrior (Jpn) colt from Castletown Quarry Stud for €55,000 and an Acclamation (GB) colt for €45,000. 

He commented, “I have bought some nice horses here in the past and I like coming back here. Buying in Euros is a big help as well. When you look up at the bid board and eight grand was just sixty eight Sterling, so that's a big help.

“I have eleven bought now and I'll probably buy another three or four at the upcoming sales but the nice ones are hard to buy. It's been very hard to buy them this year. A lot of the breeze-up handlers haven't filled their orders yet so they will probably be driving on now.”

 

Solid Trade Posted On Day Two

There may not have been any six-figure lots on day two but the trade remained solid. The €12,522,000 aggregate was up marginally on the figures posted in 2022 while the average climbed 3% to €30,995. The median was also up 8% to €28,000 while the clearance rate was down 5% to 85%.

 

Buy(s) of the Day

John Murphy and his son George have a track record at sniffing out a bargain and time may prove that the father-and-son duo found another here on Wednesday in the shape of lot 322.

A Tamayuz (GB) colt consigned by Wardstown Stud attracted plenty of shrewd judges to the ring but it was Murphy who won out at €30,000.

Out of an Arcano (Ire) mare who has yet to produce a winner, the Tamayuz is a fine stamp of a colt and should make up into a nice two-year-old.

He is a three-parts brother to Blond Me (Ire) and the pedigree traces back to a strong Ballymacoll family.

Elsewhere, another Make Believe colt appeared to be well bought at this sale. It was in this section on Tuesday where Luke Lillingston's €70,000 purchase of a colt by the Ballylinch stallion was put forward as the buy of the day to go to Andrew Balding.

Well, Billy Jackson-Stops may well have found similar value in the Make Believe colt that he sourced for the trainer (lot 286) for just €40,000.

Consigned by Airlie Stud, the Make Believe colt is out of an unraced Galileo (Ire) mare, who has already produced the highly-rated Ralph Beckett-trained Quantum Impact (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Finally, if it's early speed that you were looking for, Patrick Vaughan and Conor Hoban of Beechlea Bloodstock may have found it. They shelled out just €15,000 to secure a Kuroshio (Aus) colt (lot 261) from Baroda Stud early in the morning.

Kuroshio has already proved himself as a good source of speed, largely down to the exploits of trainer Michael O'Callaghan through Gozen (Ire) and Kairyu (Ire), with the latter on course for Group 1 targets.

This colt looks well capable of clocking a good time should his next connections go down that route and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them turn a profit in the spring whatever path they chart with the colt.

 

Strong Trade, As Curtain Falls On Part 1

Tattersalls Ireland, CEO Simon Kerins said, “Today completes two very successful days of trade at the September Yearling Sale, resulting in a turnover surpassing €12,522,000, the second highest ever recorded for this sale. It was immensely satisfying to see advancements in most key indicators with this year's catalogue producing a record median and the second highest average for the two days. There was also a record number of lots making over €40,000 a testament to the solid trade.

“Results do speak volumes and up to last weekend, the September Yearling Sale was Europe's leading sale for 2-year-winners, complemented by Dawn Charger and Tiger Belle's recent Group 3 success in France. It is these winners that have reinforced the confidence with new and existing buyers to come to Fairyhouse, with more buyers in attendance than ever before. Heartfelt appreciation must go to Charles O' Neill and his team at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing for their exceptional efforts that have contributed to a very successful week.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the vendors who supported us with a catalogue worthy of attracting so many visitors to the site. We wish all our purchasers continued success with their purchases as they go on to achieve great things on the racetrack.”

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