barry mahon | Horse Racing Free Tips

Yorkshire Oaks An Option For Classic-Placed Bluestocking

G1 Irish Oaks runner-up Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) is likely for the G1 Yorkshire Oaks on Aug. 24, Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owner/breeder Juddmonte, confirmed on Wednesday.

Trained by Ralph Beckett, the daughter of 2011 G1 Matron S. heroine Emulous (GB) (Dansili {GB}) has never been off the board in four starts. After breaking her maiden at Salisbury in September, she ran second in a listed at Newbury behind Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) making her 3-year-old bow, and was third behind that filly in the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot in June.

Mahon said, “Whilst we thought the world of her, her form before the Irish Oaks wouldn't have suggested she was going to put in a run like that, but we sort of always felt she had that in her.

“We'll look towards York for her. It will more than likely be the Yorkshire Oaks, but because she hasn't won yet this year she has the option of the race we won with Haskoy (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) last year [Listed Galtres S.].”

The post Yorkshire Oaks An Option For Classic-Placed Bluestocking appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Royal Ascot: “We Know He Is Good Enough.” Artorius Back for Jubilee Burn-Up

Royal Ascot 2023 winds up on Saturday with the centrepiece the meeting's now-familiar international dash, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. These are some of the fastest equine dragsters on the planet, with the 1:11.05 six-furlong course record of Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) potentially under threat as the high pressure continues to build over Berkshire. Australia's Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) returns a year older and more mature than when a close third 12 months ago as he covered the final three furlongs faster than any. Hong Kong's Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) gets the dual benefit of an overseas holiday in the English sun and some time away from his nemesis Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}). He's also got Ryan Moore, which can't be bad.

Sam Freedman is not feeling the same pressure with the current favourite Artorius as 12 months ago.

“He is a lot shorter in the market and there is a bit more expectation, but last year it was the unknown and whether he was going to measure up–this year we know he is good enough,” he explained. “I am not so concerned about the opposition, but more where he will end up and where he will get to in the run. I am confident taking on any of the sprinters in the world, but it is a case of getting the right transit and a bit of luck.”

US interest comes in the form of the Christophe Clement-trained Big Invasion (Declaration Of War) on a big day for Dean and Patti Reeves who had a share of the Albany success of Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) on Friday. He faces a stark new challenge here, but looked the kind of strong closer in the GI Jaipur that will enjoy this stiff six. English queen Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is back on the track four days after her gallant effort in the G1 King's Stand S., where she was definitely compromised by Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) who due to his drift looked a more worthy winner than he actually was. The good news for fans of John Quinn's triple group 1 winner is that she is not the type to let such an injustice fester and the vibe from her accomplished trainer straight after was that the experience will even bring her to a peak.

“We left her down all week and looked at her on Thursday morning and she seems fine, so we're quite happy to roll the dice,” her Malton-based trainer said. “Plenty of horses have run well in both races, so it's doable. She seems bright and she's no travelling to do, which is important.”

Marc Chan's G1 British Champions Sprint S. hero Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) will have to travel faster than he's ever done, something that won't be a problem for the dual Wokingham winner Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}) who finally gets his crack at the meeting's big one on the fast ground he loves. Based on his times when taking his second renewal of the day's big handicap, he would have been in the mix in this especially as he was carrying seven pounds more than the Platinum Jubilee winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and clocked a final three furlongs 2/10 second faster than Artorius.

With the ground quickening with each passing day, Saturday's G2 Hardwicke S. could be robbed of its star turn as connections of Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) revealed they will be checking out the lay of the land ahead of the mile-and-a-half test. Trainer Owen Burrows has avoided this kind of surface since the debut of Shadwell's G1 Coronation Cup winner and would welcome some storms in Berkshire. “This was the obvious race for him, our only slight worry is the ground being a bit quick for him, so I think we'll walk the track at midday on Saturday and make sure we're happy with it,” he said of the 6-year-old who was so impressive in last month's G3 Brigadier Gerard S. “He's won on a range of grounds, but I know speaking to Sheikha Hissa after he won at Sandown that Jim [Crowley] had mentioned to her that he's so much better on good ground and we want to look after him this year–we won't risk him on fast ground.”

George Strawbridge's talented Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is hardly the biggest fan of fast ground either, but she handled something near this when accounting for Wednesday's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. winner Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Middleton S. at York last month. Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) was on a quick surface when landing the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. over the course and distance when last seen and Willie Muir is relishing the end of the long wait. “As I've said all the way through, this is hopefully a prep race for the King George and will put the edge on him,” he said. “I've got no doubt his ability is all still there, but he's been off the course for a long time and we just want to get through this race and move on. As long as he goes through the race nice and comes home nice, we're laughing.”

Opening the card is the seven-furlong Listed Chesham S., where Ballydoyle's strong collection of juveniles is represented by the Navan scorer Pearls And Rubies (No Nay Never) and the eye-catching Leopardstown third Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a daughter of Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). In a renewal dominated by Irish-trained fillies, others to note are Lindsay Laroche's Limerick winner Snellen (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}) and The Curragh scorer Nemonte (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) who is another to represent Reeves Thoroughbred Racing owned in partnership with Steven Rocco.

Shadwell's TDN Rising Star Enfjaar (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Ballydoyle's proven The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Juddmonte's Covey (GB) (Frankel {GB}) seem the trio to focus on in the seven-furlong G3 Jersey S., with the latter unusually impressive in the always-competitive Silver Bowl H. at Haydock last month. “He's a very exciting horse and we look forward to seeing him out again,” Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon said. “He looks to have plenty of pace for seven furlongs and he gets a mile, so the stiff seven in Ascot should be fine for him.”

The post Royal Ascot: “We Know He Is Good Enough.” Artorius Back for Jubilee Burn-Up appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Newbury: Can “Unexposed” Laurel Beat the Colts in the Lockinge?

Newbury's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. has been a happy hunting ground for some top fillies in recent times and Saturday's renewal features another as TDN Rising Star Laurel (GB) (Kingman {GB}) takes aim at the colts. Dazzling with her sectionals in a Kempton novice in September, the daughter of Promising Lead (GB) (Danehill) was sent into battle for the G1 Sun Chariot S. by the normally more-reserved Gosdens just days later and justified that risk by beating all bar Fonteyn (GB) (Farhh {GB}) in the Newmarket contest. With a confidence-enhancing win behind her in the Listed Snowdrop Fillies' S. back at Kempton last month, the homebred will have the respect of all opposition in the race conquered by the likes of Russian Rhythm (GB) (Kingmambo), Peeress (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab) and Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

“Laurel is very unexposed,” Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon said. “Last year we threw her in the deep end after two easy wins and it looked for a minute like she was going to pull it off in big style. That day there was a little bit of bias towards the stands' side and I think a combination of greenness and the other horse just getting a nice run up the rail saw her just get run out of it late on.”

Let The Games Begin

With Godolphin's Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) setting the standard bidding to provide the operation with a record-extending ninth renewal, the race to the Queen Anne is well and truly underway for the older milers. Sunderland Holding's My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) has something to find at this trip, but showed the best form of these overall as a 3-year-old when a close-up third in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot in October. Still unexposed and low on mileage, the William Haggas trainee made relentless strides after his third in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot to Champions Day and he may just be the class act in the line-up.
Haggas is cautious, with the homebred having missed his intended reintroduction last month. “I wanted very much to run him in the Paradise Stakes at Ascot, but his scope wasn't very good,” he said. “The reason I wanted to run there was to see if he was quick enough for the Queen Anne, or the Prince of Wales's Stakes. I'm pretty sure he's Prince of Wales's. So, having missed that, we are then a bit on the back foot and it was either this or the Prix d'Ispahan and I thought the d'Ispahan was a bit too close to Ascot for his first run, so we're coming here. I'm pretty sure a mile is not his best trip, but he's fresh and well and I think he'll run a nice race. I hope he's got a big season ahead of him.”

Time For An Upset?

So far in 2023, the flat action at Newbury has seen fields strung out more than normal and Friday's big-priced winners suggest an upset is far from off the cards here. Kevin Ryan's horses have been ripping it up at York all week and the Hambleton handler has a live Lockinge contender in Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the latest notable out of the owner-breeder's remarkable Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}). His first run back in 2022 resulted in an impressive success in the G3 Superior Mile and while this is another level, he is open to improvement. Another who has potential to shake things up is last year's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois runner-up Light Infantry (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}), who was just a neck down on Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) when tackling a straight mile. “He's proven he's a group one performer,” trainer David Simcock said. “It is a very open Lockinge and I should think everybody thinks they've got a little shout.”

Can Yibir Complete The Trifecta?

There is plenty of intrigue on the Lockinge card, with the G3 Aston Park S. seeing the return of another of Godolphin's transatlantic stalwarts in Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), whose last public sighting came when winning the G2 Princess Of Wales's S. at Newmarket's July Festival. After the successful comebacks of the 5-year-olds Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), it is up to the third of the big trio of 2021 to keep up Charlie Appleby's momentum. “He went for a racecourse gallop at Newmarket a couple of weeks ago and we were very pleased with how he went,” his trainer said. “If he can bring the level of form he showed as a three-year-old and what we saw last year, he is going to be the one they all have to beat.”

Haskoy Back For More

Yibir faces the potentially daunting prospect of facing Juddmonte's Haskoy (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) on Saturday and the fast-improving St Leger supplementary is one of the more intriguing older fillies in action this term. Added to the Doncaster Classic following her impressive success in York's Listed Galtres S. in August, she was perhaps controversially demoted from second to fourth behind New London (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Friday's G2 Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and that form has a vastly more solid look after the way the latter and the Leger hero Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) went through their race on Friday.
“She's a star–to jump up from winning a maiden on the all-weather, to then win a stakes race at York days later and then be thrown in at the deep end into a St Leger and finish second past the post,” Barry Mahon said of the Ralph Beckett trainee. “She's a good filly, but she's just taken a bit of time to come to hand.”

Star Style

Newbury also stages a fascinating renewal of the Listed BetVictor Carnarvon S., in which Godolphin's G2 Gimcrack S.-winning TDN Rising Star Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}) backs up quickly after his highly creditable sixth in Newmarket's G1 2000 Guineas. Ballydoyle's own TDN Rising Star Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never) continues on the sprinting route which could also lead to the G1 Commonwealth Cup, with his success in The Curragh's seven-furlong G2 Futurity S. not quite the distant memory his odds suggest here. TDN Rising Star material can also be found in the Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S., where Juddmonte's Salisbury novice winner Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) looks to stay in a competitive Oaks picture.
Another Beckett representative on an important day for the stable, Barry Mahon said of Bluestocking, “Unfortunately we missed Lingfield, which was where we wanted to go and she has taken time to come to herself like a lot of fillies this spring. We're just waiting for her to come and bloom and she's coming. Everyone is happy with her, she's not 100 per-cent there yet, but she's coming and just about ready to start.”

Fantastic Prospect At Iffezheim

Baden-Baden's G3 Japan Racing Association – Derby-Trial should offer some big clues ahead of the G1 Deutsches Derby, with likely favourite Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) out to put a latest drubbing at the hands of Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}) behind him. Beaten 7 1/2 lengths by that TDN Rising Star in Munich's G3 Bavarian Classic at the start of the month, Liberty Racing's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten winner faces four more unbeaten and unexposed colts including Gestut Karlshof's highly-regarded Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}). A relative of Monsun's domestic Derby-winning siblings Schiaparelli (Ger) and Samum (Ger), he hails from the Andreas Wohler stable. A deep contest also features a TDN Rising Star in search of redemption in Gestut Rottgen's Aspirant (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), who is up in trip following his well-beaten fourth in Krefeld's G3 Dr Busch-Memorial with something to prove.

The post Newbury: Can “Unexposed” Laurel Beat the Colts in the Lockinge? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Royal Ascot Next for Chaldean

Juddmonte's Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has emerged from his win in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in good order, and a start in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot is his next target, according to the organisation's racing manager Barry Mahon.

“He's taken it well, he's good,” said Mahon. “Andrew [Balding, trainer] was happy with him when I spoke to him yesterday. He said he was quite tired on Sunday, but he said yesterday morning he was in good form again.

“The ground was very soft, yet on the Friday meeting, it was good to firm. They watered the ground in case the showers missed.

“I stayed the far side of the town and on Friday night, I promise you, there was a monsoon. But he handled the ground, although it wouldn't be his ideal conditions.”

A winner of the G3 Acomb S., G2 Champagne S., and G1 Dewhurst S. in succession at two, Chaldean parted ways with regular jockey Frankie Dettori at the start of the G3 Greenham S. on his intended seasonal debut.

The post Royal Ascot Next for Chaldean appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post