French 2,000 Guineas Fancy Isaac Shelby Sold To Wathnan Racing

Leading French 2,000 Guineas fancy Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) has been sold to the Qatari-based Wathnan Racing in a deal that was brokered by Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock. 

Isaac Shelby won the G3 Greenham S. in the colours of Manton Thoroughbreds on his reappearance at Newbury last month, after which, his trainer Brian Meehan revealed that he would sidestep Newmarket in favour of the French Classic at ParisLongchamp. 

The colt remains firmly on course for Sunday's race and will represent an exciting first European runner for Wathnan Racing, which was crowned the leading stable in Qatar last season following heavy investment at the autumn horses-in-training sales in Britain and France. 

A tight-lipped Brown commented on Wednesday, “Isaac Shelby is a very exciting colt. He has displayed a very high level of ability with the obvious highlight his comfortable win in the Greenham at Newbury last time. He is a lovely-looking individual with plenty of scope and class–he displays the best attributes of his sire.”

Isaac Shelby's Greenham S. victory was achieved in dramatic circumstances as short-priced favourite and subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) dislodged Frankie Dettori upon leaving the stalls.

But Isaac Shelby could not have been more impressive in pulling three lengths clear from his nearest rival on the day and is expected to be sent off one of the leading fancies in the market on Sunday.

TDN Europe understands that Sean Levey, who has ridden Isaac Shelby in all four of his races to date, will retain the ride.

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Chaldean Dumps Dettori As Isaac Shelby Posts Greenham Win

There was high drama at the beginning of Saturday's G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham S. at Newbury when Frankie Dettori parted company with G1 Dewhurst S. hero and leading G1 2000 Guineas contender Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) upon exiting the stalls, which allowed Manton Thoroughbreds VII's reopposing Dewhurst seventh Isaac Shelby (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Kentucky Belle {Ire}, by Heliostatic {Ire}) a free run to make all for a second pattern-race triumph in the seven-furlong feature. Last term's G2 Superlative S. victor was swiftly into stride, away from the early carnage, and gained immediate control. Unflustered on the front end for the most part, the 15-2 chance was shaken up approaching the final furlong and, with just the riderless Chaldean for company in the closing stages, kept on strongly to hit the line with an impressive three-length buffer back to G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte victor Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), himself 5 1/2 lengths clear of Doncaster maiden winner Theoryofeverything (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Brian Meehan, absorbing a first success in the contest, commented, “He is smart and I've always thought so. Things went wrong at Newmarket and he came back lame, but luckily it wasn't serious. We got him right within a couple of weeks and, touch wood, he's been 100 per cent since. I was so disappointed in the Dewhurst, because he was not the finished article and there was so much more to come. Mentally he's always been a calm horse, but Newmarket was only his third run. He has won a Group 2 on good-to-firm and he seems to go on everything. Chaldean was very unfortunate and nobody wants to see that happen to anyone. It is a shame for Andrew and Juddmonte.”

However, Isaac Shelby will not be returning to Newmarket anytime soon, according to the trainer, and is set on a course for ParisLongchamp's May 14 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. “He is in the French Guineas, which was always the plan. He didn't go to the [G3] Craven because I was spooked by Newmarket and I don't want to go back there until he's a little older and more mature. It will be the French Guineas and then we'll take it from there.”

Despite an unexpected turn of events for the 5-4 favourite, trainer Andrew Balding reflected in positive tones. “He was fit and well and ready to run a big race, but it was one of those unfortunate things,” he said. “We are just thankful it was a trial, the horse seems to have come back fine and Frankie is fine. It is real bad luck, but it is what it is and we've got two weeks to the [G1 2000] Guineas. The Guineas was always the main aim and that's where we're going. He pulled up pretty quick, but it would have been a big problem if had he gone and done another circuit of the track. He's had a decent workout and probably enjoyed it.” Juddmonte's Barry Mahon added, “It was one of those freak things. The main thing is the horse is okay and the jockey is okay. Frankie said the horse beside him just came over and caught his leg and ripped it out of the stirrup. The horse was a little slow [from stall seven] and the horse on his outside [Streets Of Gold] came across [from stall eight] and caught his leg. No harm done and the horse has had a day out, which was the whole aim of today.”

Pedigree Notes
Isaac Shelby, one of 19 pattern-race winners for his sire (by Dubawi {Ire}), is the third of four foals and one of two winners produced by an unraced half-sister to GII Mac Diarmida H. victor Ramazotti (Honor Grades) and to the dam of dual stakes scorer Vow To Recover (Broken Vow). The April-foaled chestnut is half to an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Al Kazeem (GB). His second dam, the stakes-placed Mine Inning (Mining), is a daughter of Listed Revidere S. second Weed It Out (Clever Trick), herself kin to four pattern-race winners headed by GI American Derby hero Pocket Zipper (Full Pocket). Descendants of Weed It Out also include Listed Debutante S. winner She's My Warrior (Warrior's Reward), Listed Minnesota Derby scorer Thealligatorhunter (Overanalyze), Listed Oak Tree Sprint S. victrix Annie's Candy (Twirling Candy) and the Puerto Rican champion juvenile Wicked Runner (Wicked Strong).

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
WATERSHIP DOWN STUD TOO DARN HOT GREENHAM S.-G3, £90,000, Newbury, 4-22, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:32.65, sf.
1–ISAAC SHELBY (GB), 128, c, 3, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Kentucky Belle (Ire), by Heliostatic (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mine Inning, by Mining
3rd Dam: Weed It Out, by Clever Trick
(£92,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Manton Thoroughbreds VII; B-Elaine Chivers (GB); T-Brian Meehan; J-Sean Levey. £51,039. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $136,191. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Charyn (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Futoon (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). (250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Grangemore Stud (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £19,350.
3–Theoryofeverything (GB), 128, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Persuasive (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (325,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Prince A A Faisal; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £9,684.
Margins: 3, 5HF, HF. Odds: 7.50, 14.00, 6.00.
Also Ran: Zoology (GB), Wiltshire (GB), Streets Of Gold (Ire), Knight (Ire), Grey's Monument (GB), The Ridler (GB), Classic (GB). DNF: Chaldean (GB) – unseated rider.

 

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Budget-Busting Isaac Shelby Repays Sangster’s Faith

One of the most cheering aspects of an excellent three days of racing for Newmarket's July Meeting was seeing the famous Sangster silks returning to the winner's enclosure aboard a group winner. For racing fans of a certain vintage it is impossible to see those colours originally registered to the late Robert Sangster and not conjure up memories of some of the famous horses to have raced in them, not least the great Sadler's Wells.

How far into the league of great horses Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) will venture is unknown at this stage, but he has certainly created a favourable impression to date. His two wins from two runs, including the G2 Superlative S. at Newmarket, led his trainer Brian Meehan to describe him as “the business”, and for the man whose business it was to buy him in the first place and keep the share-holders of his syndicate Manton Thoroughbreds happy, that early success comes as much as a relief as a delight. 

Sam Sangster, one of five sons of Robert, is the man in question, and the bloodstock agent-cum-syndicate manager had belief in the horse ever since seeing him as a yearling at the Goffs UK Premier Sale last August. So much so that he broke his own golden rule while attempting to buy him.

“When it comes to buying, you are very much led by the budget,” says Sangster, whose surname naturally conjures up those heady days of the Keeneland yearling sales of the 1970s, when his father, along with MV O'Brien and John Magnier, would light up the bid board well into seven figures, notably in pursuit of the best offspring of Northern Dancer. Sam, however, has enjoyed success selecting decent horses for relatively reasonable sums.

“We have our budgets and we do stick to them. I'd like to say I did that with 'Isaac' but I didn't; I fell madly in love with him and the partnership budget is usually between £50-60,000, so buying him for £92,000 put us on the back foot from the off because we buy six horses every year for the partnership and he was the first one we bought. I was definitely pinched a few times while I was doing the bidding.”

Whether or not it was Meehan doing the pinching is unknown, but the pair work the yearling sales closely together, and the trainer is unlikely to have any financial regrets at this stage when it comes to the promising colt. 

Sangster continues, “As with anyone we start with pedigrees, and there are certain types of pedigrees that we like. Older mares we feel are a bit more risky. Brian and I have had a lot of success with the offspring of stallions that have kind of gone past their sexy status but are real workmen's stallions and trainers' stallions. We've managed to identify those over the years and I kind of know the type that Brian likes to buy and train.”

Barraquero (Ire) would be a case in point, a colt from the fourth crop of Zebedee (GB) who ended up being his sire's fourth-top-rated performer following his win in the G2 Richmond S. of 2017. Also trained by Meehan, who now owns part of the Manton estate which has been synonymous with the Sangster family for decades, he was bought from the same sale as Isaac Shelby five years earlier but at a third of the price. 

“I hadn't even met Brian when he started at Manton but we had an immediate bond and when I came back from Australia I had a couple of smaller syndicates which Johnny McKeever bought for. A good horse called Faithful Creek got us off the mark, and he was in training for a syndicate called Decadent Racing, which was a bit of fun with a few friends based in and around London. We took him all over, to Deauville, Leopardstown, and then he went to the Breeder's Cup and Dubai after that. We had a lot of fun with him and it was from there that Brian and I decided to step up the syndicate.”

Manton Thoroughbreds, now in its seventh edition and with about 15 members in the partnership, was started in 2015. Smuggler's Moon (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who subsequently raced as Gold Land in Hong Kong, got the ball rolling with success in the Listed Surrey S. at Epsom on Oaks day the following year. 

“The partners hit the ground running really and were able to invest in the second partnership which had Barraquero, and we kind of got our confidence from there,” Sangster recalls. “The partnership with Isaac Shelby we named seven but we have another called Centurion so we've done eight now and have unearthed some nice horses along the way.”

Among the other horses Sangster and Meehan have teamed up with outside Manton Thoroughbreds is Raheen House (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was bought for 35,000gns at Book 2 of the October Sale and sold on to race for Australian Bloodstock after showing himself to be a progressive stayer with wins in the G3 Bahrain Trophy and Listed Noel Murless S. For Kris Lees, once racing in Australia, he went on to win the G2 Schweppes Chairman's Quality H. at Randwick and finish third in the G1 Sydney Cup, the race which a year earlier had been won by his full-brother Shraaoh (Ire). 

The duo struck again last year with Hannibal Barca (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), bought as a yearling for £55,000 at the Orby Sale and who, like Raheen House, finished fourth in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. Three days after that run the colt became the second-top lot at the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale when sold for 500,000gns. He has subsequently won the G3 Gallinule S. for Joseph O'Brien.

Sam Sangster Bloodstock was also the name on the docket when the Oasis Dream (GB) colt foal who would become known as Native Trail (GB) went through the Arqana December Sale for €50,000. The agent smiles at the memory of this and says, “If Isaac Shelby can follow Native Trail's footsteps I would be a very happy man, although he's not in the National [Stakes], but the Dewhurst is very much on our minds at the moment.

“We thought an awful lot of him going to Newmarket but I knew they also thought a lot of the Godolphin horse [the runner-up Victory Dance].”

Sangster continues, “I think we're going to sit tight. Between myself, Sean [Levey, jockey] and Brian we all came to the conclusion that the fewer miles we put on his clock this year the better he will be for next year, and Sean did make a comment that he does just feel that little bit weak still. I know this sounds a little bit silly about a horse who has won a Group 2 and saw out the race well but he could really improve with time. We'll let the horse tell us; you can see a campaign for those type of horses, like the Champagne [Stakes, G2], though he would carry a three-pound penalty there, but it could be a likely stepping stone on the way to the Dewhurst.”

With a horse named after a former governor of Kentucky, a trip to this year's Breeders' Cup at Keeneland would also be rather appropriate. 

As well as his association with Meehan at Manton, one of Sangster's older brothers, Ben, still has his own breeding operation on the estate, and it is one which was responsible for producing  Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who finished two lengths ahead of Hannibal Barca when winning last year's Vertem Futurity. Another brother, Adam, runs the family's Swettenham Stud in Victoria, Australia.

“For me, when I was growing up in the industry, they were unbelievably helpful as a sounding board,” says Sangster of his half-siblings. “I lived in Australia for three years, so I spent a lot of time with Adam and he guided me in the direction of who I should learn from. Ben lives about ten minutes down the road from me, as does my brother Guy, and we speak a lot about what is going on, whether it's with our own horses or about the industry in general.”

He adds of Meehan, who runs one of two training establishments at Manton, as well as Martyn and Freddie Meade, “Brian is a fantastic trainer and he's got a fantastic team at Manton. I know he takes a lot of pride in what he does, and I'm very proud to be part of the team.”

Sangster's time in Australia was well spent with placements at Flemington and Randwick racecourses before a valuable stint working for bloodstock agent Peter Ford. “He's the one who took me under his wing. We travelled all around the sales, to Keeneland, Arqana, and obviously all the main Australian sales. It was really Peter that helped me get my eye in when analysing yearlings,” he says.

With the number of sales ever increasing, there's little time for let up, and even life with a young family has to be juggled. 

Sangster says, “We've just had a baby girl six weeks ago so the night-time feed has been spent with the Arqana catalogue on the iPad in a dark room, flicking through it. At least I'm a few steps ahead anyway.”

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Night Of Thunder’s Isaac Shelby Prevails In Superlative Thriller

Manton Thoroughbreds' hitherto undefeated 2-year-old colt Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Kentucky Belle {Ire}), by Heliostatic {Ire}) registered a taking 3 1/2-length success in his May 31 unveiling going 6 1/2 furlongs at Newbury, the chestnut's only prior start, and doubled up in game fashion after a ding-dong tussle with Godolphin's Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) throughout the closing stages of Saturday's seven-furlong G2 bet365 Superlative S. at Newmarket. The 3-1 chance was the sharpest of five into stride and accepted a tow from Dark Thirty (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in second after the early shuffling. Coming under pressure, as did all four rivals, passing the quarter-mile marker, he gained a narrow advantage approaching the final furlong and was driven out up the hill to withstand the persistent threat of Victory Dance by a head after a thrilling duel. Dark Thirty kept on once headed to finish 3 3/4 lengths back in third. 'TDN Rising Star' Lion Of War (GB) (Roaring Lion) was unable to feature when it mattered and finished last of the five contenders. The local stewards were back in session to conduct another official post mortem. Looking specifically at interference passing the furlong marker, where Isaac Shelby drifted across Dark Thirty's lane, the placings were allowed stand without amendment. Winning jockey Sean Levey received a two-day ban for his troubles.

“You're always tempted to make predictions, but he's very nice and really is the business I think,” commented Brian Meehan after annexing his first win in the contest. “He looks really special and could even be a [G1 2000] Guineas horse. He's got a good temperament and Sean [Levey] knows him well, so they're a good package. We'd stay at seven [furlongs] now, which I think is ideal, but we won't be in any hurry [to go up in trip]. I think we'd train him as a Guineas horse now. These horses are special and they're the reason you do it. You get the most enjoyment out of training winners of course, but when you get horses like him with serious potential it's exciting. All winter he's looked like a nice horse, he's straightforward with a lovely temperament and is very easy to deal with. We've got a great team at home with some very good judges and they've always liked him. It's easy to think that he was going to be nice, but this is high-end stuff and he's really proven himself. We'll take it step by step and won't rush into things, but he's a horse that we think is going to improve and physically there's still massive improvement there. We'll get him back and sit round the table and make a little plan after a week or so. Goodwood would come too soon, but the [G2] Champagne [at Doncaster in September] is a race I've thought about. I love the Breeders' Cup so the [GI] Juvenile Turf is one we'll definitely factor into our thoughts as well. I'm so pleased for Sam [Sangster], we do a lot together. He buys horses for me and my clients as a bloodstock agent and he runs these partnerships as well. It keeps the [Robert Sangster] colours alive which is really cool, he's a great guy and I can't thank him enough for his support.”

Charlie Appleby was not downcast after the narrow defeat of Victory Dance, who remains on target for the Curragh's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S., according to the trainer, despite the reversal. “The winner is a nice horse as he won that maiden at Newbury nicely and I feel we have more to go forward with as well,” he said. “We saw him there on his first start only just getting the hang of it and, when he got into a battle, he did well for his inexperience. I think going forward we have got all the options now, but I won't take him to somewhere like the [G2] Vintage [at Goodwood]. If we seek significant improvement at home we will carry on with Plan A and head to the [G1 Vincent O'Brien] National.”

Richard Hannon, a dual winner of this contest, was satisfied with the display of Dark Thirty and reflected, “It was a step up from his [Listed] Chesham run and I'm very happy with it. The interference wasn't ideal, but the best horse has won. We are delighted with our fellow as he has got home very well and he will get further in time. He would have finished closer, but I don't think he would have finished a position closer. He is a very nice horse and a class horse to look forward to the rest of the year. We wouldn't be far away in some of those seven-furlong Group 3s and he is definitely not average. There is the [G3] Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville, which would be ideal.”

Isaac Shelby, who becomes the 17th pattern-race scorer for his sire (by Dubawi {Ire}), is the third of four foals and one of two winners produced by an unraced half-sister to GII Mac Diarmida H. victor Ramazotti (Honor Grades) and to the dam of dual stakes winner Vow To Recover (Broken Vow). The April-foaled chestnut is a half-brother to a yearling colt by Al Kazeem (GB). The April-foaled chestnut's dam Kentucky Belle (Ire) (Heliostatic {Ire}) is a daughter of Listed Prom S. placegetter Mine Inning (Mining), herself out of Listed Revidere S. runner-up Weed It Out (Clever Trick). Descendants of Weed It Out also include Listed Debutante S. victrix She's My Warrior (Warrior's Reward), Listed Minnesota Derby scorer Thealligatorhunter (Overanalyze), Listed Oak Tree Sprint S. heroine Annie's Candy (Twirling Candy) and the Puerto Rican champion juvenile Wicked Runner (Wicked Strong). Weed It Out's siblings include GI American Derby hero Pocket Zipper (Full Pocket).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 SUPERLATIVE S.-G2, £100,000, Newmarket, 7-9, 2yo, 7fT, 1:25.13, g/f.
1–ISAAC SHELBY (GB), 129, c, 2, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Kentucky Belle (Ire), by Heliostatic (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mine Inning, by Mining
3rd Dam: Weed It Out, by Clever Trick
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (£92,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Manton Thoroughbreds VII; B-Elaine Chivers (GB); T-Brian Meehan; J-Sean Levey. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $72,686. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Victory Dance (Ire), 129, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Dane Street, by Street Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (700,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA). O-Godolphin; B-Airlie Stud & Mrs S Rogers (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £21,500.
3–Dark Thirty (Ire), 129, c, 2, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Beach Wedding (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (£90,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Martin Hughes & Michael Kerr-Dineen; B-Lynn Lodge Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £10,760.
Margins: HD, 3 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.00, 1.25, 10.00.
Also Ran: For A Laugh (Ire), Lion of War (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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