barry mahon | Horse Racing Free Tips

Juddmonte Nominate Early-Season Targets for Gosden Stars

Arrest (Ire), who filled the runner-up spot in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster on his final start of 2023, is being prepared to make his return to action in the G3 John Porter S. at Newbury on Saturday, April 20.

Though no match for the high-class Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) on Town Moor, Arrest showed that he belongs at the top level with an admirable effort in defeat, having previously failed to give his running when sent off the 4/1 favourite for the G1 Derby at Epsom. The son of Frankel (GB) had put himself in the picture for the blue riband when running out a wide-margin winner of the G3 Chester Vase S. on the Roodee, while his runner-up finish in the St Leger was preceded by a second pattern-race victory when landing the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. at Newbury.

A return to the last-named venue is now on the agenda for the John and Thady Gosden-trained Arrest as he embarks on what his connections hope will be a productive four-year-old campaign in the top middle-distance events.

“He was consistent all year apart from the Derby, which I think was our own fault,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte. “John, Thady and myself got wrapped up a little bit in it being the Derby and we probably shouldn't have run as the ground was a bit quick and the track obviously didn't suit.

“He showed his true form on his next couple of starts and has wintered very well. John and Thady were very happy with him when speaking to them last week and the current plan, all being well, is to start in the John Porter. I think we will start off at middle-distances and see how we go. If he shows us in the middle of the summer he wants a bit further, then we will try it. But I think he has shown enough class at a mile and a half to suggest he can be competitive in those top mile-and-a-half races throughout the year.”

Mahon also issued a positive update on fellow Gosden trainee Laurel (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has been on the sidelines since finishing down the field in last year's G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury. Beaten just once in four starts prior to that, when runner-up in the 2022 G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket, Laurel reportedly has the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot as her main target in the first part of the season.

“Laurel is back in training and John and Thady are happy with her,” Mahon added. “She's just having a slow preparation with a view to getting her to Royal Ascot later in the year, so we will probably just give her a prep run at the end of May or the beginning of June and then it will be straight to Royal Ascot if all is well with her. She is in good shape and seems to have got over her little injury, so with a bit of luck, if she stays injury free she could be an exciting prospect for the year.”

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ITBA Breeding Seminar Plays Host to Industry Experts at Goffs

Over 200 people attended a breeding seminar held by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) and its junior wing, the ITBA Next Generation, on the eve of the Goffs February Sale on Tuesday, February 6.

The event was hosted by Kevin Blake, a well-known racing analyst and broadcaster as well as being a reputable breeder in his own right. He was joined on the panel by former ITBA chairman Dermot Cantillon, the breeder of multiple Group 1 winners at Tinnakill House Stud, plus Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale, Helena Burns of Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital and Loughtown Stud, bloodstock agent Matt Coleman and Barry Mahon, Juddmonte's general manager in Ireland and European racing.

A variety of themes were up for discussion as the panel talked all things breeding, from what they look for when buying a mare to the general health of the industry and where it might be years from now.

A recording of the event will be available through the ITBA in the coming weeks. The ITBA will also soon be launching their 'Ask The Expert' series which will take place online during March, April and May, providing the opportunity to hear from different figures in the industry on a wide range of topics.

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The Curragh: O’Brien Prepares Beresford Assault

It is the time of year when ideas begin to form about the following season's Classics and with Derbys in mind, Saturday's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. at The Curragh offers food for thought. Aidan O'Brien's record in this mile staging post is plain remarkable, even by his standards, with a tally of 21 winners including St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Japan (GB) and Luxembourg (Ire) and the fact that he has a trio engaged in the race he missed out in 12 months ago for the first time since 2010 suggests he is looking to resume normal procedure.

With Ryan Moore in Australia, Frankie Dettori flies in to partner Navy Seal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a son of Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and full-brother to Never Ending Story (Ire) who put a debut fifth at Killarney behind him when scoring over an extended mile on heavy ground at the Galway festival in August. Colin Keane rides Grosvenor Square (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-brother to Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) who also won over that same course and distance this month, while the mile Leopardstown maiden winner Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the mount of Gavin Ryan.

“Chief Little Rock came forward nicely to win at Leopardstown but he only just won, we thought he'd win easier than he did,” O'Brien said. “He's in good form and we think he's a horse who is going to progress more. He's got a stout pedigree and will be staying well next year. Grosvenor Square won nicely at Galway, that was only 11 days ago. He's a lovely, big horse but he was babyish and green there, so we think the experience will do him well. He's another with plenty of stamina in his pedigree. Frankie is riding Navy Seal for us. He won nicely at Galway the last day, but he was a little but green. He ended up winning nicely at the end and we think he's ready to go again. The first day we were a bit disappointed, we expected him to run better but he was very green. He was still green the last day, so we're just hoping that he keeps coming forward.”

Joseph O'Brien attempts to stem the tide of Ballydoyle winners in this with Teme Valley Racing's Stromberg (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who steps up from seven furlongs for the first time having a Galway maiden and Roscommon conditions race by a total of 17 lengths, while Vimal Khosla's Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) brings the form of the Leopardstown's G2 Champions Juvenile S. into focus having been four-lengths fourth behind Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Mister Sketch In Mill Reef Test…

Newbury's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. is the other juvenile feature on Saturday, with speed as the contrast for the six-furlong feature of the card. Wathnan Racing's acquisition Mister Sketch (GB) (Territories {Ire}) won by 9 1/2 lengths over this trip at Salisbury last month and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton is hoping he can cope with this easy ground. “It's not ideal ground for him, but it's the same for everyone and I think he'll run a big race,” she said. “He's a lovely, strong horse, so I hope he'll be able to handle the ground.”

This renewal is dominated by those who have danced a few dances already and with conditions demanding toughness, that could play into the hands of the G3 Sirenia S. second and third Seven Questions (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Array (Ire) (No Nay Never). The latter is a relative of Frankel (GB), so this is a big opportunity for the Juddmonte homebred. “I think the ground won't be an issue for him, Andrew [Balding] always felt he'd go with a bit of ease in the ground and obviously he ran well at Goodwood on desperate ground,” Barry Mahon said. “He's a nice horse who probably hasn't been the luckiest, but he looked good winning his maiden and he's shown a good level of form to partake in such a race.”

Sense Of Duty Returns…

In the five-furlong G3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy at Newbury, St Albans Bloodstock's exciting filly Sense Of Duty (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) is back in action having been absent since her impressive 4 1/2-length success in Newcastle's G3 Chipchase S. last June. This looks an ideal starting point for the William Haggas-trained 4-year-old, who has a class edge over her four rivals if retaining her ability.

“She's never run over five furlongs, but she has to run somewhere with as big a gap as possible between Champions Day,” Haggas said. “She will need the run, but she's pretty useful. She was very good the day she won the Chipchase at Newcastle. I think she'll enjoy the ground.”

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All Roads Lead to ParisLongchamp for Westover

Last year's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is poised to head directly to France where he'll get a second chance at the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 12 months after running sixth in last year's renewal over unsuitably testing ground.

The Ralph Beckett-trainee is currently enjoying a break at his trainer's Kimpton Down base and the connections are keen to follow last year's route to the Bois de Boulogne–with a trip to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup also in the planner following his attempt at Europe's richest middle-distance contest on Oct. 1.

A head second to multiple Group 1 winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in Ascot's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., hopes are high that the son of Frankel can build on last year's finishing position.

“He came out of the King George great and he's having a little break now at Ralph's,” said Barry Mahon, the European racing manager for owners Juddmonte. “He's been on the go early this year having been to Dubai and then recently had two quick runs, so I think he's thinking he'll freshen him up and go to the Arc then on to the Breeders' Cup.”

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