International Double For Almanzor

Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Darkova, by Maria's Mon), who serves mares at Haras d'Etreham in France and at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand during the Southern Hemisphere breeding season, achieved a remarkable multi-national double Aug. 20, with winners minutes apart in Japan and in Australia.

Over a rain-affected course at Niigata, the well-related first-starter Via Luce (Ire) defied an awkward draw in gate 15 of 17 to validate $1.90 (9-10) favouritism and become the first Japanese winner for her sire. Beaten for pace despite being asked by jockey Yasunari Iwata, the bay filly traveled several paths off the inside while under a ride on the turn and followed the move of Santa Ana Tesoro (Jpn) (Speightstown) into the straight. Via Luce drew alongside that one inside the final 200 metres and came away late to score by 1 1/2 lengths (see below, SC 15).

The March foal, bred by Katsumi Yoshida, is the first foal for her stakes-winning and three-times group-placed dam Via Firenze (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), a daughter of G3 Shadwell Prix Lieurey winner Via Medici (Ire) (Medican {GB}), who counts 2018 champion Japanese 2-year-old male and dual Group 1 winner Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) as her most notable produce. A foal half-brother by 2017 G1 Tokyo Yushun hero Rey de Oro (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) to Via Luce fetched ¥170 million (£1,049,810/€1,236,766/$1,241,572) at last month's JRHA Select Sales on Hokkaido.

 

 

About five minutes earlier at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, the 3-year-old colt Virtuous Circle (NZ) was winning for the second time in three appearances, taking out a 1500-metre handicap as a $26 (25-1) roughie. Settled towards the rear of the field down the side of the course, the son of She Is Stryking (Aus) (Stryker {Aus}) was ridden for luck into the short straight and kept grinding it out to the line for a narrow success (video). Virtuous Circle was last seen defying long odds to graduate at second asking at Mornington Mar. 26.

“He went to the paddock straight after that and he just came back in, and he knows what it's all about,” trainer Liam Howley told Racing.com. “I'd like to think he's a [G1 Caulfield] Guineas horse, but otherwise I thought 2000 metres might be in his hitting zone. Maybe 2400 metres, so maybe he's a Derby horse.

“Mentally he is [ready], but we will space his runs and run next in the [1600-metre G2] Stutt [S.] back here in four weeks. That gives us time to look after him. That gives us two weeks to the Guineas and gives us a read at that point whether he's a Guineas horse or we go to the [2040-metre G2] Vase. Hopefully we are still knocking around in late October.”

Purchased for A$360,000 out of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Virtuous Circle is out of a listed-placed dam who has also bred Danger Strykes (NZ) (Astern {Aus}), winner in New Zealand of the Castletown S. Virtuous Circle is one of eight Australasian winners for Almanzor.

 

 

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Roaring Lion’s Lion Of War A New TDN Rising Star at Newcastle

Qatar Racing's 2-year-old colt Lion of War (GB) (Roaring Lion) became the first scorer from the lone crop of his ill-fated sire (by Kitten's Joy), when graduating in his June 11 debut going seven furlongs at Leicester last time, and notched another notable first when becoming a TDN Rising Star with a 10-length rout in Thursday's Pertemps Riverside Restricted Novice S. over much the same distance at Newcastle. The 8-11 favourite, burdened with a seven-pound penalty, was swiftly into stride and raced under a firm hold on the front end from flagfall here. Bounding clear of toiling rivals approaching the quarter-mile marker, he extended his advantage under urging and geared down from the furlong pole, easing to almost a walk across the line, to outclass Henzar (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) by daylight in taking fashion.

Lion of War is the latest of three foals and lone scorer out of Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial third Momentus (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), herself a half-sister to stakes-winning G2 Joel S. runner-up Sir John Lavery (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The April-foaled bay's second dam Race For The Stars (Fusaichi Pegasus), who annexed the G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack Fillies S., is kin to four black-type performers–headed by MG1SW sire Hawk Wing (Woodman)–out of GSW Canadian champion La Lorgnette (Val de l'Orne {Fr}). Race For The Stars is also kin to the stakes-winning Alexandrina (Conquistador Cielo), whose two black-type performers include GI Canadian International S.-winning Canadian Horse of the Year Thornfield (Sky Classic).

6th-Newcastle, £6,800, Nov, 6-23, 2yo, 7f 14y (AWT), 1:30.69, st/sl.
LION OF WAR (GB), c, 2, by Roaring Lion
1st Dam: Momentus (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Race For The Stars, by Fusaichi Pegasus
3rd Dam: La Lorgnette, by Val de l'Orne (Fr)
(7,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $9,159. O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Andrew Whitlock Racing Ltd (GB); T-Charlie & Mark Johnston. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Almanzor Gets First Stakes Winner

Almanzor (Fr), Europe's champion 3-year-old of 2016, was represented by his first black-type winner on Sunday when Dynastic (NZ) won the Restricted Listed Karaka Million at Ellerslie.

Dynastic was also the first winner Down Under for Almanzor, who shuttles to Cambridge Stud from his base at Haras d'Etreham in Normandy. Almanzor's first New Zealand-conceived crop numbers 101 foals, and he has thus far had five runners, which also include the G2 Wakefield Challenge S. third Andalus (NZ). Dynastic, who is owned by Te Akau Racing and trained by Jamie Richards, who soon heads to Hong Kong, was making his second start in the Karaka Million.

Almanzor had his first Northern Hemisphere runners last year. From a crop of 102 foals, he had 10 winners from 39 runners and two stakes horses, including the G3 Prix des Reservoirs second Queen Trezy (Fr). The triple Group 1 winner stands for €30,000 at Etreham this season.

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Probabeel Possible For Royal Ascot

New Zealand's Horse of the Year Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) could appear at Royal Ascot this year for the G1 Queen Anne S. The four-time Group 1-winning mare, who is owned by Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud, will trial next week and will target the same trio of races she did last Australian autumn-the G3 Bellmaine S., G1 Futurity S. and the All-Star Mile-before a potential intercontinental trip.

Cambridge Stud Chief Executive Henry Plumptre told SEN Trackside, “We have been talking to Nick Smith at Ascot and we have an invitation to go and run in the Queen Anne S. on the opening day of Royal Ascot, as opposed to going up to Sydney for the Queen Of The Turf, which is what she did last year [when second].”

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