Tag: Breeders’ Cup

The most recent 2-year-old winner of York's Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1, carded for 2-year-olds and up) was 15 long years ago, but memories of Kingsgate Native's win in 2007, and of Lyric Fantasy's success 15 years before that, are hard to shake off and the market suggests we could be due another one.

The Platinum Queen, supplemented at a cost of £40,000 on behalf of 20 members of Middleham Park Racing XV, is second only to Royal Aclaim in betting on the race, and in a bizarre quirk of this most open of Nunthorpes she is the more experienced of the pair, even though she first saw a racecourse less than three months ago.

The Nunthorpe, which is part of the sprint category of the QIPCO British Champions Series as well as a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, is a very attractive option for The Platinum Queen, with last month's all-the-way York and Goodwood winner receiving upwards of 22lb from her rivals. And while this year's race is undoubtedly competitive, with the first three home in 2021 among the 15 runners and main market rival Royal Aclaim looking highly progressive, there is no Battaash or Dayjur in the line-up.

The syndicate took little persuading that it was well worth coughing up for the supplementary entry, as syndicate manager Tom Palin explained.

Palin said: “I can't recall many instances where we've supplemented, so we gathered all of the information we could gather, from the trainer Richard Fahey, and from the track and the weather forecasters and so on, then we waited as long as we could before taking an informal vote among the members. Everybody, to a person, came back with 'Let's do this, we really want to have a go'.”

He added: “This is what racehorse ownership is all about. We've got the second favourite for a Group 1, she's already won only a little less than the supplementary fee, and the vast majority of the syndicate live in Yorkshire, so there's an added attraction.

“If she finishes in the first three she gets her supplementary fee back and she gets black type, and if the market has it right we'll get both. I know it's not that simple, but we think it's a sensible roll of the dice.

“Looking at previous runnings, whenever a fancied 2-year-old has run – let's say a 10-1 chance or shorter – they've nearly always finished in a position where they would have got their money back at least had they been supplemented, and Soldier's Call was 20-1 when second three years ago.”

Black type would also increase The Platinum Queen's resale value significantly, and Palin is well aware that the 2017 Nunthorpe winner Marsha fetched an eye-watering 6,000,000 guineas at the end of her career.

Palin said: “The Platinum Queen hasn't got as deep a pedigree as Marsha, who proved herself for longer, but if she were to place the money she won would almost be irrelevant compared to the increase in her value, so that's quite an exciting aspect too.”

Looking at The Platinum Queen's strengths, and at the field as a whole, he said: “She's just a very speedy and enthusiastic filly, and the weight she receives through the weight for age scale looks massive, although it's there for a reason and in theory it's about right. And at the weight – or indeed any weight – we couldn't ask for a better rider than Hollie Doyle.

“It looks quite an open race, and her 106 ought to put her in the shake up even if she didn't improve as I think the favourite is only 108. Having two such lightly raced unexposed fillies at the top of a market which lacks a stand-out is an exciting dynamic.”

James Tate has had the highest of hopes for Royal Aclaim almost from day one, and the filly has delivered in style on all of her three starts, the latest of them a Listed race over the Nunthorpe course and distance last month. He is pleased to see plenty of pace in the race and expects Royal Aclaim to be coming home well.

Tate, brought up in a racing family in nearby Tadcaster and seeking a career-first Group 1 win, said: “We've had a really good prep and she's been training well. She's improved with every start and she hasn't missed any work. I've got every confidence in her and in her ability, but at the end of the day she's an animal and she's got to have some luck in running.”

He added: “She's the least experienced runner in the field, and that includes the two-year-old, but she's like nothing we've ever had through our stable gates before – she's completely different. In three runs she's achieved a rating of 108 and beaten two Group 1 winners. Yet, to be quite honest with you, she's never been fully fit, as she is now.

“I expected her to win at York but I didn't know she'd win quite as easily as that, given that she wasn't 100 per cent fit. It was obvious after a furlong or two that she would win. For a filly to win a Nunthorpe she probably needs to be something like 114, and the 6lb she needs to improve on the York form is just two lengths. Can she improve two lengths? I really think and hope so.”

Winter Power beat Emaraaty Ana and Dragon Symbol here 12 months ago, but she has not been in the same sort of form this year. Emaraaty Ana went on to win the Haydock Sprint but has also been somewhat out of form since. Dragon Symbol, however, returned to form and struck for the first time for his new trainer Roger Varian when an easy winner of a conditions race at Hamilton.

Highfield Princess won her first Group 1 over 6.5 furlongs in the Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville last time. She is in splendid form but was beaten in much lesser company on her only previous run over this minimum trip. The Platinum Jubilee third Flotus, a Group 3 winner over the same distance at York last time, is another who is unproven at five furlongs.

Khaadem, from the Battaash stable of Charlie Hills, and Raasel, a winner eight times in the last 12 months, were separated by only a neck when first and second over this trip in Goodwood's King George Stakes, where Lazuli, Clarendon House and Acklam Express were among those behind.

The field is completed by the Aidan O'Brien outsider New York City and Hugo Palmer's recent Chester winner Ebro River.

The post Supplemented 2-Year-Old The Platinum Queen To Face Elders In Nunthorpe appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

This will not be Alpinista's first Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Group 1) on Thursday at York Racecourse, but this time it's a very different scenario to 2020.

When Alpinista finished a five-length second to the QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner Love two years ago it was almost as if she had won, for she was a 33-1 chance and wouldn't even have been running but for the revised entry protocols introduced because of Covid-19.

Fast forward to 2022 and Kirsten Rausing's Frankel filly is the favorite following four straight Group 1 wins, the most recent of them in the historic Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud – preferred in the betting to the winners of the Cazoo Oaks and the Juddmonte Irish Oaks in a field of seven for a highly competitive £500,000 affair, which is the second of four races at York this week in the QIPCO British Champions Series.

The Yorkshire Oaks is also a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf this fall at Keeneland.

Looking back at Alpinista's first Yorkshire Oaks, her trainer Sir Mark Prescott recalled: “It was a great piece of placing at the time. She'd never have been in it if it had been an early-closing race, as it usually is, but she'd just won the Listed Upavon Stakes at Salisbury and we felt we had nothing to lose at that stage of her career. Finishing second was like having a major win.

“You never know how far a filly like her might go, but she was progressing fast at the time, and her mother Alwilda was better when she was five. Her grandmother Albanova didn't win all of those Group 1s until she was five, so the fact that it's a family which keeps progressing gave us hope. Since then she's been very professional in an under the radar way.”

Albanova won her three Group 1s in Germany, and it was there that Sir Mark campaigned Alpinista so successfully in the second half of 2021, winning the Grosser Preis von Berlin, where she beat the subsequent Arc winner Torquator Tasso, and then the Preis von Europa (which Albanova also won) and the Grosser Preis von Bayern.

German Group 1s are not always accorded the respect they possibly deserve but the Coronation Cup, which Alpinista missed last year after a dirty scope, was Sir Mark's initial target for 2022, followed by the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, which shows how highly regarded she was.

Unfortunately, the Heath House team were generally slow to come to hand and Alpinista was no exception. Sir Mark confirmed: “She just wouldn't come in her coat and having missed the Coronation again the timing meant that we had to start her off at Saint-Cloud instead.

“It was harder after she won in France to say that her form wasn't good, although we had a slice of luck in that the ground was quite firm and everyone else was disappointed that it wasn't the 'good to soft' that was advertised.

“Luke (Morris) was very determined not to get caught flat footed by sitting until they straightened up, and I think it was a race-winning move to get going around the outside and not lose momentum. It meant she was rolling while the rest were hanging on to quicken up, and it enabled her to shoot clear.”

Sir Mark always looks forward to the Ebor meeting and said: “York has been very lucky to us, as we've had Pivotal and Marsha win the Nunthorpe and we've won the Ebor (with Hasten To Add) and also the Magnet Cup (now John Smith's, with Pasternak and Foreign Affairs), all with not many runners.”

He also has painful memories of the narrow defeat of 2017 Ebor favorite Flymetothestars at the hands of Nakeeta, but he is optimistic about Alpinista, while at the same time having all due respect for rivals like Magical Lagoon and Tuesday.

Provided all goes well at York Alpinista will be heading to Longchamp for the Arc, in which she is already pressing for favoritism. She will be only the stable's second runner in the race, although Marsha won the Prix de l'Abbaye on Arc day in 2016.

Sir Mark confirmed: “I think she's third favorite for the Arc, and that's an unusual position for me to find myself in. I've only had one runner in it before, and that was Foreign Affairs, who ran very well behind Sakhee in 2001.

“That's hopefully the main target after York, but she will be kept in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares at Ascot as well, although Miss Rausing has some other very nice fillies entered there and she probably has Albaflora (a short-head second last year) earmarked for it. We'll keep our options open though.”

Alpinista faces a strong challenge from Ireland, which provides the next three in the betting. It can come as no surprise that one of them is trained by six-time Yorkshire Oaks winner Aidan O'Brien, whose Oaks winner Tuesday bids to follow in the footsteps of Love (2020) and Snowfall (2021), who both also won the Epsom Classic.

Tuesday has since finished only when fourth taking on the colts in the Irish Derby, but that was a muddling affair which O'Brien noted “was in two halves and the first three got away.”

Jessica Harrington's Irish Oaks winner Magical Lagoon, successful previously in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot and still possibly improving, has a similar chance to Tuesday on paper, while Paddy Twomey's La Petite Coco has yet to be beaten in a Group race, having followed last year's Group 3 and Group 2 wins with a Group 1 defeat of My Astra in the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh on her reappearance in June.

Twomey has not been placed with any of five previous runners in Britain, but he goes from strength to strength at home in Ireland and has a big week ahead of him as his York team also includes the Tote Ebor favorite Earl Of Tyrone.

He said: “We are looking forward to running La Petite Coco in the Yorkshire Oaks, which has been the plan all year. We very much had the second half of the season in mind from the start of the year and always planned to start her campaign where we did in the Pretty Polly. This was the next step that we had in mind.

“She's a good filly and she's in good form. The Pretty Polly was a mile and a quarter but she's won at a mile and a half and I'd say that's her ideal trip. She might go to the Breeders' Cup later, but not necessarily. There are other races (including the QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares) and I think wherever her chance looks best her owners Team Valor will be happy to go.”

Andre Fabre saddles an interesting runner in Raclette, an improving filly by Frankel from a good Judmonte family and the winner of a Listed race and a Group 2 at Longchamp on her last two starts.

The field is completed by the Qatar Nassau Stakes third Lilac Road, a Group 2 winner at York earlier and stepping up in distance, and Poptronic, a Group 3 winner on Tapeta at Newcastle.

The post Streaking Alpinista Favored In Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

William Haggas is itching to step the brilliant Baaeed up to a mile and a quarter for the first time in Wednesday's £1 million Juddmonte International Stakes, a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic, but he does not underestimate the task the colt faces as he continues to follow in the footsteps of Frankel.

“I'm looking forward to it,” Haggas said. “We've always felt he'd be better over further, but we've got a few people emailing us and casting doubt on whether we should be doing it. But Sheikha Hissa is up for the challenge and I think it would be remiss of us not to give it a go.

“There's nothing I can do about the competition on the day, and if the Mishriff of last year comes to York in the same form he'll be incredibly difficult to beat, as he was unbelievably impressive that day. Mishriff ran a very, very good race in the Eclipse and a little bit of a lack-luster race in the King George, so who knows which one will turn up. But he'll be a danger, as will lots of others.”

Baaeed is a red-hot favorite for this first of four races at York this week in the QIPCO British Champions Series, but Haggas understandably prefers to resist comparisons between the 4-year-old and Frankel. They are inevitable however so long as the path taken by the current world number one mirrors so closely that taken by racing's all-time-great a decade ago.

Just like Baaeed, Frankel came here unbeaten, including in the previous autumn's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO) and then the Lockinge, Queen Anne and Sussex Stakes. The Juddmonte was also Frankel's first opportunity over further than a mile, and of course he won in devastating style.

Baaeed has won nine races to Frankel's 12, and his winning margins have been less extravagant, but that's simply his style. This year's three wins, in particular, have been gained in the smoothest fashion, and his style of racing – more akin to that of his sire Sea The Stars than the exuberant Frankel – should lend itself admirably to this distance. His pedigree, like Frankel's, suggests the new trip ought to be well within range.

Haggas tries to ignore talk of Baaeed also being recognized as the world's best racehorse, pointing out that it is simply an opinion and that in any case how can one compare a British turf miler with an American dirt horse and an Australian sprinter. He admits such talk is “very flattering” and says that he is “honored to train such a good horse”, but adds: “We don't think of it like that – we just carry on.”

That said, Baaeed has been the apple of his eye for more than a year now, having given a first major clue to his potential when running away with a Listed race at Newmarket on his third start.

Recalling the early days, he said: “Most of ours run green first time and do much better on their second start, so the fact that Baaeed won first time out at Leicester made me think he could be all right. In his work afterwards he shaped up quite well, and when we ran him in a novice at Newmarket he hosed up.

“He then won a Listed race at Newmarket with authority, and afterwards the BHA senior handicapper Dominic Gardiner-Hill told me he could have put him ahead of the Guineas winner on what he'd achieved there.”

Since then, it has been Group races all the way for Baaeed, the last five of them Group 1s, and over a mile nothing has been able to lay a glove on him this year. That might change on Wednesday, but Haggas will try not to get too anxious about it.

He said: “I said to Jim (Crowley) at Goodwood that we had him for two more races and so let's try to enjoy it. He'll be off to stud afterwards, and that will be the end of it. We'll be searching for another one for the rest of my career, and probably for the rest of his.

“So long as we are happy with the horse's condition, happy with the way he's trained, and everything has gone right up until the time Jim gets on board, then what is there to worry about.”

Sheikha Hissa is firmly embracing the long tradition begun by her late father Sheikh Hamdan and has taken a far closer interest in Baaeed than some might have guessed. She can clearly recall his “babyish” debut at Leicester, which she said ”gave me a thrill, especially at a grieving time”, and she remembers the first time she saw him up close at the Haggas stables, after his Prix du Moulin win, when she immediately picked up on “his strut.”

She said: “When a horse likes to do his job it makes life so much easier, and Baaeed has his ears pricked even on the gallops. It's amazing and satisfying to see a horse enjoy his job.

“Sea The Stars leaves a mark on his foals and Baaeed takes a lot of his temperament and how he is from him, but I'm glad he looks like his mum Aghareed. My father would have loved him, as homebreds always gave him special pride, especially from the Nashwan family.”

Like Baaeed's trainer, she “can't wait” for Wednesday. She added: “Last year I was very afraid every time he went to the racecourse, but I don't know when I'll next see a horse like him, so I'm trying just to enjoy the process. He proved he is a great horse at a mile and he's bred for stepping up, so he should be fine technically.

“I hope he ends on a good note and stays undefeated, but it's just a pleasure to have him. No matter what happens, he's a great horse for us.”

Neither John nor Thady Gosden would dream of underestimating Baaeed, but if there is a chink in his armor then last year's six-length winner Mishriff looks the one most likely to exploit it, and they had first-hand experience in 2015 of the turn-ups that can happen in the Juddmonte when Golden Horn lost his unbeaten record to a 50-1 chance.

Thady Gosden said: “Mishriff has come back from Ascot in very good form and the one mile and two furlongs Juddmonte trip suits him well. Giving away ground at the start of a race of the King George's quality is a serious hindrance, but he's got plenty of speed and the shorter distance is what he's best at.

“It's interesting, and Baaeed is obviously brilliantly talented. He relaxes well and you would be shocked if he didn't get the trip, but he's taking on top-class mile and a quarter horses and I think it's fair to say that it's a stronger division than the miling division at the moment.

“Mishriff seems to be in similar form now as he was when he went to York last year. He ran a huge race in the Eclipse and was perhaps unlucky there. His work gives us a pretty good measure of where he's at, and he's in very good form.

“The Juddmonte is the summer's premier mile and a quarter race and it's great to see these horses take each other on. Whatever happens, it's going to be an exceptional race.”

The Irish 2000 Guineas winner Native Trail did not take the anticipated step forward when stepped up in trip in the Coral-Eclipse, losing second close home to the unlucky-in-running Mishriff, so he was initially headed for yesterday's Prix Jacques Le Marois. Plans changed however when Coroebus missed the Qatar Sussex Stakes with an abscess and was switched, unsuccessfully, to the Deauville race.

Weighing up options for his colts after the Sussex, Charlie Appleby said: “Native Trail is in great order. He's walking around on two legs! The Jacques Le Marois was going to be Native Trail's race, but I see no reason why he couldn't run in the Juddmonte. He didn't not stay in the Eclipse. He was outstayed by good horses who will probably go on at a mile and a half.”

A field of seven also includes last year's runner-up Alenquer, who is a stable-mate of Baaeed and gained a first Group 1 win in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, and Aidan O'Brien's High Definition, who was the neck runner-up there. The line-up is completed by William Knight's Sir Busker and Dubai Honour, a third Haggas runner, who were separated by just a nose in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes over course and distance last month.

The post Team Baaeed ‘Looking Forward’ To Step Up In Trip In Wednesday’s Juddmonte International appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Trainer Christophe Clement had high praise for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's graded-stakes winner Big Invasion after he took down the $150,000 Mahony Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomores, on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course.

“Today was his best race,” said a smiling Clement. “He's a very good horse, he keeps winning, so there's no doubt about it, but today I thought he behaved better than he's ever done.”

The off-the-pace score was the sixth victory in a row for the son of Declaration of War, who entered from an emphatic 2 3/4-length win to make the grade in the Quick Call presented by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (G3) on July 17 at the Spa. The talented bay's winning streak dates back to a maiden-breaking score at second asking in February at Gulfstream Park and includes stakes triumphs in the Texas Glitter at Gulfstream, the William Walker at Churchill Downs, the Paradise Creek at Belmont Park and his two victories at the Spa.

Emerging from post 2 under regular pilot Joel Rosario, Big Invasion spotted the pacesetting That's Right seven lengths as the field was led through a swift opening quarter-mile in 21.76 seconds over the firm turf. Cadamosto was patiently handled by Tyler Gaffalione two lengths back with Surprise Boss tracking in third.

A determined That's Right held to his lead through a half-mile in 44.14 and dug in under Andy Hernandez to maintain his position at the top of the lane, but Cadamosto loomed to the outside with Big Invasion making giant strides down the center of the racetrack. Determined Kingdom launched his bid between rivals, but Big Invasion proved much the best and won with ease, crossing the wire three lengths clear in a final time of 1:01.42.

Cadamosto held off Determined Kingdom by a half-length with Sky and Sand completing the superfecta 1 1/4 lengths behind them. Surprise Boss, That's Right and Editorial Comment completed the order of finish.

Clement said the ever-improving Big Invasion has rounded into form in the seventh start of his sophomore season.

“He looked better than he's ever done and you know, he came from out of it,” Clement said. “He broke well, he [Joel Rosario] took him back, he behaved well and he finished very well, so I'm thrilled. I'm very happy.”

Rosario agreed, noting the colt's newfound ability to settle.

“The horse relaxed today and it looked like they ran away from him a little bit,” Rosario said. “It was very good and he really came with a run like he always does. He's getting there mentally.

“He was just kind of off the bridle nice and came with a run,” Rosario added. “Sometimes he can jump in the bridle, but he was all good today and it worked out perfectly.”

Clement added that Big Invasion may be ready to take the step up to top company at the Breeders' Cup in November at Keeneland.

“I've always thought he was the best 3-year-old in the country on the grass sprinting. We just don't have a program with Grade 1, Grade 2, that's the way the program is made,” said Clement. “But, I don't know, I'd have to talk to Mr. Reeves. I need to give him some time at some stage and maybe we can think about a race like the Breeders' Cup even if it's very ambitious. Why not?”

It is likely Big Invasion would train up to the Breeders' Cup should Clement choose to send him for an engagement in the Turf Sprint (G1) at Keeneland November 5.

“Maybe, I wouldn't mind doing that, that would be my feeling,” Clement said. “Let's see how he comes out of it and we can go from there.”

It was the 12th stakes victory of the meet for Rosario, who credited his agent, Ron Anderson, and the many owners and trainers he rides for with his successes.

“Thanks to the owners that got me there and all the trainers. My agent Ron does an excellent job all the time for me,” said Rosario. “I'm really happy, and to do it here at Saratoga is even better. I can't explain how happy I am.”

Bred in Kentucky by John O'Meara, the $72,000 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase banked $82,500 in victory, increasing his total purse earnings to $444,045. Returning $2.70 for a $2 win wager, Big Invasion, who is out of the Curling mare Curls in Place, improved his record to 6-1-0 from seven lifetime outings.

Gaffalione said the Joseph O'Brien-trained Cadamosto ran admirably in defeat.

“My horse broke alertly and put himself in good position, traveled good throughout,” Gaffalione said. “He gave me a good run into the stretch and just couldn't hold off the winner today.”

Cadamosto was the first stakes starter of the meet for O'Brien, whom Gaffalione said is an honor to ride for.

“It feels amazing. I've been a big fan of his even when he was a rider and watched a lot of his replays,” said Gaffalione. “He's very impressive and I'm just thrilled to get the opportunity.”

The post ‘Today Was His Best Race’: Ever-Improving Big Invasion Pleases Clement With Mahony Score At Saratoga, Possible For Breeders’ Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post