“He's fast, a very good-looking individual and his own-brother Battaash is probably the best five-furlong sprinter of recent times,” said Castlehyde's Paddy Fleming. “On a mark of 113 as a 2-year-old, the Antarctic was rated the equal of Havana Grey (GB)–who is out of a Dark Angel mare–and just a pound below his own sire Dark Angel.”

Bred by Paul McCartan of Ballyphilip Stud, the grey was a 750,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase by Coolmore's MV Magnier. Trained by Aidan O'Brien for a Coolmore partnership, the February foal won his first two starts and was second in the G2 Prix Robert Papin later in his juvenile season prior to a victory in the G3 Prix de Cabourg. Two Group 1 placings followed–with a third in the Prix Morny to stablemate Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) and a second to that foe in the Middle Park. As a 3-year-old he also won the G3 Lacken S. at Naas and was retired with a mark of 12-4-2-3 and $255,971 in earnings.

“We always said Battaash was the best-looking horse that we'd bred but I think this guy is better, no doubt about it,” said McCartan after The Antarctic joined the Coolmore fold at the sales.

The fifth foal out of Anna Law, herself a half-sister to G2 Champagne S. Etlaala (GB) (Selkirk), The Antarctic is also related to group sire Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

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' – . #

This filly by Lope de Vega @BallylinchStud was consigned by @BallyphilipStud and has been bought by @rkba_com. pic.twitter.com/SIQWZ5ra3r

— TDN (@theTDN) October 5, 2022

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15.55 Tipperary, Cond, €22,000, 2yo, 5fT
THE ANTARCTIC (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a 750,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate representing Aidan O'Brien, is a full-brother to MG1SW speedster Battaash (Ire) and faces five rivals in this debut. Also in attendance is Genesis Thoroughbreds Club's once-raced Holdonfordearlife (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who is a Ken Condon-trained half-brother to GIII Florida Oaks third and GI Natalma S. fifth Secret Stash (Ire) (Mukhadram {GB}).

17.30 Tipperary, Mdn, €12,000, 3yo, 12f 100yT
Coolmore and Westerberg's DALMATIAN COAST (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}), who registered a close-up fifth in his Curragh debut over seven furlongs last October, is a half-brother to MGSW dual Classic-placed sire Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}). One of three representing Aidan O'Brien and the selection of Ryan Moore, he is accompanied by hitherto unraced stablemate Olympic Flame (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who is kin to a trio of black-type performers which includes G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Sydney Cup hero Gallante (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).

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Racing Manager Angus Gold said on behalf of Shadwell Estate Company, Ltd., “Following telephone conversations with HH Sheikha Hissa Bint Hamdan Al Maktoum last night and this morning it has been confirmed that Battaash will retire from racing with immediate effect.

“Sheikha Hissa confirmed to me how much Battaash had meant to Sheikh Hamdan and indeed to all her family and she does not want to abuse him in any way–while the ground may have been a contributory factor to his defeat yesterday it appeared that some of his old spark was missing, so ultimately the decision to retire him was an easy one.”

Bred by Ballyphilip Stud in Ireland, the bay was a 200,000gns yearling purchase out of the 2015 Tattersalls October Sale Book 2 and sent to the yard of Charlie Hills where he would stay for the entirety of his 25-start career. He was a four-length debut winner at Bath in May of 2016 and ended his five-start juvenile season with a third in the G3 Cornwallis S. at Newmarket. As a sophomore, Battaash won four of his five starts-a listed race at Sandown, the G3 Coral Charge Sprint S., the first of four G2 King George Qatar S. titles and the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. His only loss was in the G1 Nunthorpe S. and he was named the French highweighted sprinter at three.

Successful in the G2 Temple S. resuming at four, the gelding was runner-up in the G1 King's Stand S., and claimed his second King George later that summer. At the end of the year, Battaash was named the champion sprinter in England from five to seven furlongs, an achievement he would also earn in 2019/2020.

Another Temple S. went his way in 2019, and he finished runner-up again in the King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot. After winning the King George, he triumphed in the Nunthorpe S. for the first time at York that August. Battaash's 6-year-old season was kept to just three starts, but he won them all-a King's Stand victory on his third try, his fourth King George and his second Nunthorpe to bring his Group 1 tally to four. Injury marked the winter of 2020/21, and Battaash got a late start with a fourth in the King's Stand, prior to his career finale at Goodwood on Friday.

Gold continued, “Battaash has been a flag-bearer for Shadwell for the last six years and has run in 19 consecutive group races, winning 11 of them, including four Group 1s and was still at his prime as a 6-year-old last year winning all three of his starts.

“Despite having had soundness issues most of his life, from poor X-rays of his knees as a 3-year-old right through to having to repair a tiny fracture in his right-fore fetlock joint in December last year, along with two different surgeries for wind abnormalities, he has raced at the top level for the last five seasons.

“As a result of overcoming all these adversities he has obviously become a huge favourite for everyone connected with Shadwell and on behalf of Sheikha Hissa and her family I would like to pay tribute to all those who have contributed to his success–obviously to Charles Hills and all his team who looked after the horse so brilliantly, particularly Bob Grace and Bluey Cannon who took over the mantle of looking after the horse this year when Bob [Battaash's former groom] retired.

“To all those who rode the horse over the years, and in particular Dane O'Neill who has ridden him in so much of his work for the last three or four years. To all the vets who have spent so much of their time making sure that the horse is in top shape and finally to Dennis O'Brien and all his team at Shadwell Stud where the horse has spent his winters for the last four years–without all their dedication and hard work he would never have achieved the heights he has and we are very grateful to everybody who has contributed to his success.

“It has been an enormous thrill to have a horse as explosive as Battaash and together with other recent stars of the turf like Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), he has lit up the last few years and given us some wonderful days on the track, and we all feel very honoured to have been associated with him.

“Battaash will live out his days in well earned retirement at Shadwell Stud.”

The first foal out of his dam herself a half-sister to G2 Champagne S. winner Etlaala (GB) (Selkirk), Battaash has a 3-year-old full-sister named Altaayshah (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})-an 800,000gns yearling purchase by Shadwell in 2019–and a yearling full-brother. This is also the family of Shadwell's G2 Duke Of York S. hero and young stallion Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), who placed twice at the highest level.

Paying tribute to his stable star, Hills tweeted Saturday morning, “Thank you Battaash for all the memories-a horse of a lifetime. Also, a huge thank you to all those who worked closely with him throughout his career-it's certainly been a journey and we couldn't have done it without you.”

Added Shadwell jockey Jim Crowley, “He's been an unbelievable horse for everyone involved and Charlie Hills has done a fantastic job with him. Bob Grace deserves a special mention for looking after him until his retirement and his new lad Bluey [Cannon], too.

“He's been the horse of a lifetime and I'll miss him dearly. To get a buzz like you got off him is very difficult to find. He was so fast–too fast for his own good sometimes, but it was always exciting riding him.”

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“William Hill Racing Ambassador, Charlie Hills, said, “The Flat season is really hotting up with the start of Royal Ascot and I'm looking forward to sharing my views on it all with William Hill and their clients.

“As for Battaash, I've been really pleased with him. He came in a few weeks later than he has done in the past, but he hasn't missed a beat since and has been thriving at home for the last month or so.

“He's always been a horse that's very good first time out, in fact he's unbeaten first time out, and he's a horse that's fairly easy to get fit. I think the slightly longer break this year has helped him, he came back from Shadwell in really good condition, and everything seems in order.

“He's become a lot more sensible and settled in his routine work as a 7-year-old but there are absolutely no signs that he's lost any of his ability.”

Liam Mckee, Head of Planning, Media, Sponsorship & PR at William Hill, said, “We're delighted to have Charlie on board, particularly ahead of Battaash's eagerly anticipated return. The yard has had a very bright start to the season and we're looking forward to working with Charlie to provide our customers with exclusive content and insights.”

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“His trainer will tell you he's definitely on course for Ascot,” said Shadwell Racing Manager Angus Gold. “It's been well documented he was late going back in due to his problems during the winter. He's a 7-year-old so our job is to make sure he's OK. He's done a couple of bits of work now with Dane O'Neill on and Dane is very happy with him. He worked really well on Wednesday and Dane felt like he was still enjoying it.

“We've got just under three weeks left before Ascot. At the moment we're on track. Whether he'll be sharp enough to go there first time, only the next two weeks will tell us. We've a sporting chance at the moment.”

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“Battaash has been back with us a few weeks now,” said Hills. “He's been in training and did a nice swinging canter last week. We're very happy with him. He should get to Ascot. I can't see any reason why he wouldn't.

“Dane O'Neill is coming to sit on him tomorrow morning. He knows him very well so it will be interesting to see what he says.”

Battaash's stablemate Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who won a novice in October and doubled up at Newmarket in April, has emerged from his seventh-place finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in good order. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off the back of his April effort, the colt will point to the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot.

“He's absolutely fine. He came out of the race in good form. He's looking well and training nicely,” said Hills. “I'll speak to [racing managers] Angus [Gold] and Richard [Hills] to draw up a plan, but I'd say the Jersey looks favourite.”

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“I was really delighted with him,” said Hills. “Frankie [Dettori] gave him a great ride and it looked like he was always going to win the race. It's nice to have won the race twice now and he was 5lb worse off than last year. He seems to have come out of the race in great order and we'll train him for the Group 2.”

Another of Hills's pupils, the evergreen stable star Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), is wintering well and currently enjoying a holiday. The MG1SW is likely to make his first start in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot in June. Last term, the bay landed the King's Stand with Equilateral second.

“Battaash is still on his winter break,” he said. “He doesn't normally come in until the beginning of March. They all seem very happy with him. He's enjoying his hols at the moment.

“Last year he would probably have gone to Haydock [for the Temple S.] had that race been on. He's won first time out every year, so I think we'll just save him for Royal Ascot.”

Group 3 winner Tilsit (First Defence) is also being aimed at a Middle Eastern target, in his case the $20-million Saudi Cup on dirt and the Middle Distance Turf Cup both in Riyadh on Feb. 20.

“He's in those two races and we're looking at it,” he said. “Hopefully we'll run him. We'll see how he is in a couple of weeks.”

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On Battaash’s best days, Jim Crowley has been merely a passenger on Battaash and in all four of his successes in Goodwood’s G2 King George S., his track record-breaking win here 12 months ago, his 2017 G1 Prix de l’Abbaye romp and emotional victory in the June 16 G1 King’s Stand S. at Royal Ascot he has only had to stay in the saddle. This affair, on the softest ground that the 6-year-old has encountered since his tame effort in October’s Abbaye at ParisLongchamp, he was made to engage a long way out by the stand’s rail runner Que Amoro who had previously finished third behind Moss Gill in the course-and-distance Listed City Walls S. Dods conjured two Nunthorpe wins out of Mecca’s Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and an Abbaye victory out of Mabs Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) who was also narrowly denied in this in 2018 and for a brief period heading to the furlong pole it looked as if he had produced another giant-killer from his yard.

Battaash had started out up the centre of the track, but Crowley explained afterwards that his less-than-direct passage from halfway was partly due to the prevailing high wind and partly due to the respect shown to the filly. “We went one hell of a gallop and there’s a tailwind, which is blowing across the track towards the stands rail,” he explained. “I tried not to let the leader go too far ahead and fair play to the second, she ran a mighty race and was hard to pass. He doesn’t normally have to battle–he usually has his races won at halfway, but he really had to be a man today and stuck his neck out. He really galloped and tried really hard, so we got it just right. He’s really changed this horse–he took a nice bite going down but he was good at the start and everything was like clockwork. He’s a horse of a lifetime and to get one like this you are lucky.”

Charlie Hills has in mind a return to ParisLongchamp, but does not want the ground to be as soft as last year. “That was tough out there today and experience has probably been what has counted,” he said. “He’s been beaten twice in the past here on ground like that, but he’s grown up mentally and has matured with age. He behaved the best ever today and with conditions like that–the high wind–it can’t be easy for any those horses down there at the start. The obvious route to take is the Abbaye, but if the ground is like it was last year we’d probably avoid it and look elsewhere. I’ll speak to Sheikh Hamdan and we’ll make a plan.”

Whether Battaash is there on Arc day or not, Dods is keen to go there with the runner-up and he said, “She would have preferred faster ground and I didn’t think we’d get that close, so she’s run a blinder. To get that close to a horse like that is a hell of a performance. She’s seriously quick–when she ran here the other month, because the ground had gone a bit, we half-saved her to get home. I said to [jockey] Paul [Mulrennan] to take no prisoners today, to just go, because that’s the only way to ride her. She burns horses off. She’s not in the Abbaye–we decided we wouldn’t put her in and if she ran a big race here we’d supplement her. With what’s going on, we didn’t know what would happen, but that is probably where she’d go.”

Battaash is the first foal out of Anna Law (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who is a half-sister to four black-type performers including this operation’s Etlaala (GB) (Selkirk) who captured the G2 Champagne S. and was third in the G1 July Cup. Her other half-sibling Bird Key (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) produced another leading sprinter in these silks in the G2 Duke of York S. winner and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. and G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S.-placed Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). Anna Law also has Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ unraced 3-year-old filly Valletta Gold (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) who is in training with John Quinn, and also the 2-year-old full-sister to Battaash who was bought by Shadwell for 800,000gns at last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1. She is named Altaayshah (Ire) and is also in training with Charlie Hills.

Friday, York, Britain
COOLMORE NUNTHORPE S.-G1, £250,000, York, 8-21, 2yo/up, 5fT, :57.38, gd.
1–BATTAASH (IRE), 137, g, 6, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Anna Law (Ire), by Lawman (Fr)
2nd Dam: Portelet (GB), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Noirmant (Ire), by Dominion (GB)
(200,000gns Ylg ’15 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Ballyphilip Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Jim Crowley. £141,775. Lifetime Record: 2x Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 5-7f, Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 5-7f & G1SW-Fr, 23-13-2-3, $2,260,148. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Que Amoro (Ire), 134, f, 4, Es Que Love (Ire)–Onomatomania, by Mr. Greeley. (28,000gns Ylg ’17 TAOCT). O-P Appleton & Mrs Anne Elliott; B-Rathasker Stud (IRE); T-Michael Dods. £53,750.
3–Moss Gill (Ire), 137, g, 4, No Nay Never–Sharaarah (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). (£30,000 RNA Ylg ’17 GOUKPR). O-G Van Cutsem, J Bethell & S Bethell; B-Camas Park & Lynch Bages (IRE); T-James Bethell. £26,900.
Margins: 1, 2, HF. Odds: 0.50, 22.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: A’Ali (Ire), Kurious (GB), Art Power (Ire), Ornate (GB), Emaraaty Ana (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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“He was good, just getting a bit lonely out in front but it’s very hard to find horses quick enough to lead him,” Jim Crowley commented. “He was in front a long way and was just idling, so I had to give him a couple of taps just to keep his mind on the job. He’s so fast and very consistent now. If a horse wants to take him on in a race then good luck to them. He’s so quick he burns them off from halfway.”

Battaash’s achievement in bringing up four wins in this is nothing short of remarkable and history bears that out as fact. Of all the current group 1 and group 2 sprints in operation, he is the only one to garner that amount of successes in the same race with only Fine Art (Fr) bettering it with his five victories in the Prix du Gros Chêne from 1942 to 1946. Post-war, he is out on his own and this was all the more meritorious in that he was slicing a decent fragment off his prior track record on terrain made to measure for his style. There have been very few who could go with him once he had done the damage travelling downhill and it took a fast Australian mare to make any kind of impact as Houtzen (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) became the sole rival to get within a length of him at the finish of this race last term.

When you are this good, the only one left to beat is yourself and in his younger days Battaash was guilty of doing that on the occasions that his hot temperament got the better of him. Each year, with consistent tender handling and love and attention, he has become ever more the finished article in terms of maturity and now wanders around the parade ring like an old sage. Having finally conquered York’s flat Knavesmire to win the Nunthorpe in August, he annexed a first King’s Stand on his latest start June 16 and has now set this benchmark which is unlikely ever to be met. He does not even need to blast from the outset any more, with Crowley opting to coast through the first 1 1/2 furlongs without the lead as the free-running French raider Ken Colt (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}) managed to outspeed Ornate.

Charlie Hills was revelling in the moment as he tried to find expression for what he just seen. “He’s so talented and we’re very proud of him. To have a horse like him in the yard at six is amazing, to be involved with him means everything,” he commented. “Four consecutive group twos takes some doing, he’s not the biggest horse in the world but is so fast and well-balanced. He’s a true athlete. Further Flight, who my dad trained, is the only horse to win a pattern race five years on the trot so we might come back next year!”

Hills is looking at the familiar European sprint options now, but was also not ruling out a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup. “He’s not overly-raced and will have maybe two more runs this year,” he added. “We’re looking forward to the [G1] Coolmore Nunthorpe now and then probably the Abbaye, but it’s a strange year and no-one really knows what the future holds. He’ll go on until he tells us he’s not the horse he was today. I love America and it would be tremendously exciting if he did go.”

Kevin Ryan said of Glass Slippers, “She has run a blinder. I thought for a minute she was going to give him a race, but it is a great achievement by Battaash to win this race four years running. I’m delighted with our filly. It is a possibility we could look at the Nunthorpe, but she is in the [G1] Flying Five in Ireland and we wouldn’t mind going back up to six furlongs again in the [G1] Sprint Cup at Haydock. We always planned to run in the Sprint Cup, as she is as effective over six as she is over five furlongs. That could be an interesting race.”

Battaash is the first foal out of Anna Law (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who is a half-sister to four black-type performers including this operation’s Etlaala (GB) (Selkirk) who captured the G2 Champagne S. and was third in the G1 July Cup. Her other half-sibling Bird Key (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) produced another leading sprinter in these silks in the G2 Duke of York S. winner and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. and G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S.-placed Tasleet (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). Anna Law also has Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ unraced 3-year-old filly Valletta Gold (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) who is in training with John Quinn, and also the 2-year-old full-sister to Battaash who was bought by Shadwell for 800,000gns at last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1. She is named Altaayshah (Ire) and is in training with Charlie Hills.

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, £125,000, Goodwood, 7-31, 3yo/up, 5fT, :55.62 (NTR), g/f.
1–BATTAASH (IRE), 133, g, 6, by Dark Angel (Ire)
     1st Dam: Anna Law (Ire), by Lawman (Fr)
     2nd Dam: Portelet (GB), by Night Shift
     3rd Dam: Noirmant (Ire), by Dominion (GB)
(200,000gns Ylg ’15 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Ballyphilip Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills; J-Jim Crowley. £70,888. Lifetime Record: 2x Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 5-7f, Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 5-7f & G1SW-Fr, 22-12-2-3, $2,072,804. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Glass Slippers (GB), 125, f, 4, Dream Ahead–Night Gypsy (GB), by Mind Games (GB). O-Bearstone Stud Limited; B-Bearstone Stud Ltd (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. £26,875.
3–Ornate (GB), 128, g, 7, Bahamian Bounty (GB)–Adorn (GB), by Kyllachy (GB). (110,000gns HRA ’17 TATAHI). O-Kings Road Racing Partnership; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-David Griffiths. £13,450.
Margins: 2 1/4, NK, 4. Odds: 0.29, 14.00, 100.00.
Also Ran: Liberty Beach (GB), Dubai Station (GB), Ken Colt (Ire), Al Raya (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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