Tag: Berkshire Shadow (GB)

Dubawi’s Modern Games Has The Most Bite In The Lockinge

Successful at the elite level at two Breeders' Cups, in a Poule d'Essai des Poulains and a Woodbine Mile, Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}–Modern Ideals {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}) finally did it in the UK as he swooped to dominate Saturday's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury. Drawn on the extreme towards the stands' rail, the 3-1 favourite was in the right place if the preceding London Gold Cup was anything to go by and William Buick was able to enjoy the perfect draft behind My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). It was the 22-1 outsider Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) who played the penultimate hand inside the final furlong, but Modern Games was quickly on his case which led to one of those bizarre moments that happens rarely.

As the eventual winner passed the Hannon runner, Chindit turned his head to bite him as Godolphin's Noverre (Rahy) had done to Keltos (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}) in this same contest 21 years ago. With only Buick's hand slightly compromised by that act, the chestnut forged ahead to register a 1 1/2-length success, a record-stretching ninth in the race for the royal blue livery. There was a length back to the revived Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in third, with a head separating that 33-1 shot and My Prospero.

“There are no idiosyncracies in this horse,” Buick said before revealing a minor nick to his left hand. “He is straightforward and it turned out exactly as I hoped it would. He's a real top-class miler and you forget that this is his first group 1 in this country. He can make things happen around him rather than relying on other things and the pace was with us. I was quite comfortable throughout and I always had them covered.”

Had it not been for Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in last year's G1 Sussex S. and a resurgent Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S, Modern Games would have already had this particular monkey off his back and the fact that he was the premier miler in the line-up hardened by a second in Keeneland's GI Maker's Mark Mile last month only took root late as he was hammered into favouritism. Buick was happy to track in the small group racing towards the stands with Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) out on his own in the overall lead in the centre and Chindit also solo in between.

With a possible bias towards racing on the front end during Newbury's two-day meeting, the onus was on Buick to make up ground and it was notable that Modern Games was already at work heading to three out. Many were in contention with two furlongs left, but after last year's Lockinge third Chindit had blown the race apart a furlong later there was only one serious pursuant and as the former leading juvenile was overthrown late he made his displeasure known.

Charlie Appleby is content to tread the obvious path of the Queen Anne and Sussex for the winner, the second in a group 1 this month for the dam after the Saeed bin Suroor-trained 1000 Guineas heroine Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). For the team at Moulton Paddocks, the ultimate aim remains several months off. “What we'd really like to do is go back for a third Breeders' Cup,” he stated. “Not that it is a necessity, but it would be lovely to see if we can do the treble. We will work back from the Breeders' Cup and look at the Sussex, as logically we should do, and the Queen Anne along the route.”

“I'm delighted for all of the team, but also for the horse, because he deserves to win a group one in England and he will go down to date as one of the best sons of Dubawi there has been,” Appleby added. “He has got older and he warms into his races. We saw that unfortunately in the later stages in America. This horse started off his career with the likes of Native Trail and Coroebus, he was going out in the mornings with some star milers then. He was one of the few horses who put Baaeed under the pump. I felt he gained a lot of support and recognition from that day onwards here in England.”

Both second and third are also set for the Queen Anne, with Richard Hannon saying of the runner-up, “He travelled great and was a happy horse. He has improved physically. He has a middle to him now, which he didn't have earlier in his career. There is one of these coming his way.” Andrew Balding added of the 2021 G2 Coventry S. winner Berkshire Shadow, “He's a grand horse. He ran very well in the 2000 Guineas last year and his form tailed off a bit, but he's a different horse this year. I think he will win us a decent race, because he really likes fast ground. Yesterday's rain wasn't that helpful for him.”

My Prospero will also take in Royal Ascot, but as expected it will be the Prince of Wales's for the only one of the first four not to have a prep race this Spring. “He needs further,” trainer William Haggas said. “He was going to get stuffed and then he stayed on again. He is just not quick enough for these, but he should come on for that. He will be a player in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. That will just do him good.”

Pedigree Notes

Modern Ideals, who was a twice-raced maiden in the Sheikh Mohammed maroon silks for the Andre Fabre stable, is fast becoming one of Godolphin's key broodmares. Her third foal was the useful Listed Windsor S. winner Modern News (GB) (Shamardal), but that was only the beginning as she went on to throw this industrious bigwig and then the aforementioned Guineas heroine Mawj. She is a daughter of Gerald Leigh's Epitome (Ire) (Nashwan), who was responsible for Godolphin's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-winning sire Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) as well as the G3 Prix Minerve scorer Synopsis (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}) and the listed-placed Epic Similie (GB) (Lomitas {GB}). She in turn produced the G2 July S. runner-up Figure Of Speech (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and is the second dam of the Cutler Bay S. scorer Behind Enemy Lines (GB) (Sioux Nation).

The third dam is the Italian champion Proskona (Mr. Prospector), who produced the GII Canadian H. winner Calista (GB) (Caerleon) and is the ancestress of Leigh's G1 Prix Lupin and G1 Criterium International-winning sire Act One (GB) (In The Wings {GB}) among an almost endless list of graded-stakes and group performers. Proskona is kin to Riverman's stellar producer Korveya, dam of Woodman's high-class duo Bosra Sham and Hector Protector and fellow Poulains hero Shanghai (Procida). Modern Ideals' 2-year-old filly is by Mastercraftsman (Ire).

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
AL SHAQAB LOCKINGE S.-G1, £350,000, Newbury, 5-20, 4yo/up, 8fT, 1:36.09, gd.
1–MODERN GAMES (IRE), 128, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
     1st Dam: Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Epitome (Ire), by Nashwan
     3rd Dam: Proskona, by Mr. Prospector
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £198,485. Lifetime Record: Champion Male Turf Horse-US, MGISW-US, GISW-Can, G1SW-Fr, 15-8-4-1, $3,519,989. *1/2 to Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), G1SW-Eng, $662,085; 1/2 to Modern News (GB) (Shamardal), SW & MGSP-Eng, MSP-UAE, $225,210. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Chindit (Ire), 128, h, 5, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Always A Dream (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). (65,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Michael Pescod; B-J C Bloodstock & R Mahon (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £75,250.
3–Berkshire Shadow (GB), 128, g, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Angel Vision (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (40,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Berkshire Parts & Panels Ltd No1 Fanclub; B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £37,660.
Margins: 1HF, 1, HD. Odds: 3.00, 22.00, 33.00.
Also Ran: My Prospero (Ire), Mutasaabeq (GB), Lusail (Ire), Light Infantry (Fr), Checkandchallenge (GB), The Wizard of Eye (Ire), Laurel (GB), Jumby (Ire), Jadoomi (Fr). Scratched: Triple Time (Ire).

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Dual Group 1 Winner Angel Bleu Set For Seasonal Return At Wolves

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features multiple Group 1 winner Angel Bleu (Fr).

14.40 Wolverhampton, Listed, £57,500, 4yo/up, 7f 36y (AWT)
Marc Chan's 2021 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International hero ANGEL BLEU (FR) (Dark Angel {Ire}) makes his seasonal comeback in this Listed Spreadex Sports Lady Wulfruna S., a fast-track qualifier for the Apr. 7 All-Weather Championship Finals at Newcastle. “This is not a prep for the All-Weather Championships finals, but it is a prep for the rest of the year,” insisted trainer Ralph Beckett. Last seen running fifth in July's G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood, the 4-year-old bay encounters seven rivals including 2021 G2 Coventry S. victor Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), representing Andrew Balding; 2021 G2 Superlative S. third Dhabab (Ire) (No Nay Never), from the John and Thady Gosden stable; and last year's winner Tinker Toy (GB) (War Front), a Roger Varian trainee.

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Sandrine Will Make 3YO Bow in 1000 Guineas

Kirsten Rausing's Group 2 winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) will make her 2022 debut in the 1600-metre G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1. A winner at first asking over the Kempton all-weather in May of 2021, the daughter of Seychelloise (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) followed up with a score in the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot, prior to capturing the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. back at HQ in July. Second in the G2 Lowther S. at York on Aug. 19, the consistent filly was third in the G1 Cheveley Park S. to end her year on Sept. 25. The Guineas will be her first time going beyond six furlongs.

“She's great,” trainer Andrew Balding told Sky Sports Racing. “She had a lovely winter holiday back at [the owner's] Lanwades Stud and came back in magnificent condition.

“She's really done well over the winter and we're hopeful she might stay a mile. We'll find that out in the Guineas. If she doesn't, she'll be a very smart sprinter, but she's a horse we're really looking forward to this year.”

Sandrine is not the only star of Balding's yard that holds Classic aspirations. G2 Coventry S. victor Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will also head straight to Newmarket, where he will make his 3-year-old bow in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Apr. 30. Also a winner when making his racecourse bow, Imperial Fighter (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) would go on to place second in a pair of Group 3s-the Acomb S. at York in August and the Autumn S. back at headquarters on Oct. 9. He will be pointed to a Classic trail first, as will Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}), who was listed placed in September.

Said Balding of his Classic colts, “Berkshire Shadow won the Coventry S. last year and ran a very good race at Goodwood, giving weight to Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) on soft ground which wasn't ideal for us. That horse subsequently won two Group 1s on soft ground so I think that's pretty good form.

“Then, bar a blip in the Gimcrack, I thought he ran a good race from a moderate draw in the Dewhurst and hit the line well. He'll go straight for the Guineas and would have an outside chance.

“Imperial Fighter and Hoo Ya Mal have a similar level of form and are two nice colts. Whether they are up to Classic standard, we'll find out. Hopefully, they will take in a trial and then we'll see where we are.”

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Balding Juvenile Stars Target Group 1s

Trainer Andrew Balding outlined some long term Group 1 goals for his juvenile stable stars, with Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten), Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), and Majestic Glory (GB) (Frankel {GB}) all bound for Group 1 targets in the fall.

The G2 Sky Bet Lowther S. at York on Aug. 19 is the next racecourse appearance for Kirsten Rausing's homebred G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. heroine. All being well, the dark bay will then take part in the six-furlong G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket on Sept. 25.

Balding said of the three-for-three filly, “Sandrine looks very good and I've been thrilled with her last two runs. She will probably run in the Lowther next then all eyes will be on the Cheveley Park. She will carry a penalty [at York] but we didn't want to wait until Newmarket to run her again. She seems to be very versatile ground wise. She is a very smart filly and is an absolute pleasure to train.”

Victorious at Newbury when unveiled in April, Berkshire Shadow saluted at Royal Ascot in the G2 Coventry S. He was last seen running second over soft ground in the G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood on July 27. The Sept. 25 G1 Muddmonte Middle Park S. going six furlongs or the G1 Darley Dewhurst S. over seven furlongs on Oct. 9 are both likely targets for the progressive colt.

“We might drop him back to six and look at the Gimcrack at York before looking at options like the Middle Park or Dewhurst in the autumn. He is a very talented horse and if he encountered soft ground again I imagine he would perform better on it now having raced on it. Like Sandrine, it is a pleasure to have him in the yard.”

Rounding out the Balding trio is Saturday's G3 Sweet Solera S. heroine Majestic Glory. Sixth at Windsor making her first start on July 5, the bay improved to second at Newbury on July 16 and donned cap and gown transferred to Newmarket on July 30, her final appearance before her Sweet Solera score. The Oct. 8 G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile is in the cards for Majestic Glory.

He added, “It was a very good performance that Majestic Glory put up in the Sweet Solera S. at Newmarket on Saturday and her breeding suggests she should stay further than seven furlongs.

“She hadn't had a massively hard race the time before and this looked a fairly good opportunity at this level so we took and I thought she looked very smart.”

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