Castle Star (Ire) | Horse Racing Free Tips

First Mares in Foal for New Stallion Recruits at Haras de Bonneval

The two newcomers to the stallions ranks at Haras de Bonneval, Vadeni (Fr) and Erevann (Fr), have both had their first mares scanned in foal, the operation announced on Wednesday.

Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget and carrying the colours of the Aga Khan, Vadeni was among the leading three-year-olds in Europe in 2022 when his wins included the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly and G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown. He also filled the runner-up spot behind Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on his final start of the campaign.

Vadeni is set to receive 10 mares from the Aga Khan Studs in his debut season, including Candara (Fr) (Barathea {Ire}), the dam of the Group 1-placed Candarliya (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), as well as the Group 1 winners Ridasiyna (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) and Shareta (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}).

G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Erevann is also set to receive 10 mares from the homebred broodmare band, including the G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Daryakana (Fr) (Selkirk), already the dam of the G1 Prix Ganay winner Dariyan (Fr), who has moved from Haras de Bonneval to Haras du Mont Goubert for 2024.

Over in Ireland, Capital Stud announced on Wednesday that new recruits Castle Star (Ire) and Authorized (Ire) have also had their first mares confirmed in foal.

“We're delighted with how Castle Star has been received and he is proving exceptionally fertile,” Capital Stud's Ger O'Neill said of the G3 Marble Hill S. winner.

“Fast sons of Starspangledbanner at stud are a scarce commodity and one of the few others there has been, The Wow Signal, only sired a handful of foals but managed to get a Classic winner in Coeursamba among them. We're very excited about Castle Star, providing access to the Danehill line which is becoming more and more scarce, and we think he offers tremendous value standing at €5,000.”

Derby winner Authorized–who is perhaps best known as the sire of Tiger Roll (Ire), one of the most famous jumps horses of the modern era–is also reported to have taken everything in his stride as he stands his first season at Capital Stud in 2024, having arrived from Turkey in January.

O'Neill added, “Authorized has settled in great here at Capital Stud. He's a very quiet horse and is lovely to deal with. We had been told he's slow in the shed, and it's taking him about an hour to cover one mare, but he's doing it well. He's getting his mares in foal, that's the most important thing.”

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Commonwealth Cup Beckons For Castle Star

Craig Bernick and Antony Beck's Group 3 winner Castle Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) will target the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, according to trainer Fozzy Stack. The colt broke his maiden in his third start, the Listed First Flier S. at The Curragh on May 3. He followed that effort with a two-length come-from-behind victory in the G3 Marble Hill S. there later that month. Second in the G2 Railway S. in June, Castle Star was fourth in the G1 Phoenix S. on Aug. 8. He improved to run Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) to just a half-length in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket in his 2-year-old finale on Sept. 25.

“He is in good order,” said Stack. “I'm happy with how he has wintered and the prime objective will be the Commonwealth Cup. We will probably give him a run or two beforehand. There are a couple of options at Naas and Navan, or there's a race at Ascot [Commonwealth Cup Trial] beforehand. It will be one or two of those.

“I don't think the plan will be to run in the Irish 2000 Guineas. I can't see that. I think he is a sprinter. He ran a cracker at Newmarket on his last run, but I don't see him getting a mile at that level.

“The race at Navan at the end of April is a possible starting point and there is a race at Ascot at the end of April. It will probably be one or two of those and if he ran at Ascot, he will probably just do Ascot and then Royal Ascot.”

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Middle Park Glory For Ardad’s Perfect Power

Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. at Newmarket looked a tight affair on paper and although there were just 1 3/4 lengths covering the first seven home, there was ultimately a degree of comfort in the victory of the G1 Prix Morny hero Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}). Freshened up since his success for Christophe Soumillon in the Morny over this six-furlong trip at Deauville Aug. 22, the Richard Fahey-trained bay was one of the last to play his hand under that rider but was a cosy half-length winner from Castle Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) to complete the prestigious juvenile double. Positioned with only Castle Star behind as the early pace proved hot, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's 11-4 favourite was cajoled into action passing halfway and arrived widest of all to hit the front 100 yards from home. Strong to the line as he had been in Normandy and in the G2 Norfolk S., he had too many guns for Castle Star who denied Armor (GB) (No Nay Never) the runner's-up spot by a neck. “For a 2-year-old, he's very special. He's very easy and has a super mind,” Fahey said. “When he's not exercising he eats and then goes to sleep. With two furlongs to run I thought we were in a bit of trouble, but when he pulled him out he picked up very well.”

Introduced over five furlongs in a May 25 Newcastle novice, Perfect Power ran a respectable third before going to Hamilton to show his now-trademark acceleration eight days before the Norfolk. That was a tight turnaround to the Royal Ascot contest, but he was in no mood to back off and delivered his closing surge to overhaul Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) there before heading to the Goodwood Festival. Tackling six furlongs for the first time in the July 29 G2 Richmond S., he enjoyed no luck in running when fifth behind Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) but enjoyed a clear run at his rivals in the Morny to regain his mantle. This was close, but he has now overcome all that has been thrown at him when able to produce his late charge unhindered.

Soumillon also believes he was able to overcome difficulties with the undulations of this track and a perceived stand's rail bias. “My horse stumbled twice going downhill. I didn't lose confidence in him, but lost a little ground there,” he said. “When I took him out and he was running uphill, he found his gear and quickened like he did last time at Deauville. I was drawn one and in the race before we saw that the rail was beneficial. I was happy on Friday with my draw, because I knew if everyone was staying in the middle of the track it would be easy for me to come from the back but after 200 metres or so everyone was going to the fence and I knew it was going to be difficult to come from so far back. The pace was good, which was the key part of it. I'm sure he's much better on a flat track, but what he did today probably showed he's the best 2-year-old in Europe at the moment. I even think he can handle seven furlongs.”

Fahey had made clear his fears about the one draw for the £110,000 Goffs UK Breeze Up graduate. “I've been watching racing all week and when we got stall one I thought 'someone down there doesn't like me!'. I was very negative in my own mind, but he is a special horse,” he said. “The way he quickened up today–it took a special ride and a special special horse to win like that today. He's a ball of a horse who has had a busy enough time. When you go to Royal Ascot, then you go to Glorious Goodwood and then Deauville and then here it's tough, but he loves it. He could step up on pedigree. His sire was a fast 2-year-old and we don't know much about his progeny, but on the dam's side we've every chance of staying.”

Perfect Power, who has flown the flag for his first-season sire whose progeny have impressed in 2021, is the first foal out of Sagely (Ire) (Frozen Power {Ire}) who stayed 12 furlongs. She is a granddaughter of Saga D'Ouilly (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), who is a full-sister to the Arc hero Sagamix (Fr) and a half to the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud-winning sire Sagacity (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and to Shastye (Ire) (Danehill). She needs no introduction as the dam of the high-class Galileo (Ire) trio of Japan (GB), Mogul (GB) and Secret Gesture (GB), while this is also the Aga Khan family of Sagamiyra (Fr) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) who took this year's G3 Prix du Pin and was second in the G1 Prix Rothschild. Sagely's yearling filly by Kodiac (GB) sells on Tuesday at Goffs Orby, while she also has a colt foal by Galileo Gold (GB).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE MIDDLE PARK S.-G1, £250,000, Newmarket, 9-25, 2yo, c, 6fT, 1:11.32, g/f.
1–PERFECT POWER (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Ardad (Ire)
1st Dam: Sagely (Ire), by Frozen Power (Ire)
2nd Dam: Saga Celebre (Fr), by Peintre Celebre
3rd Dam: Saga d'Ouilly (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
(16,000gns RNA Ylg '20 TATOCT; £110,000 2yo '21 GOFTY). O-Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-Richard Fahey; J-Christophe Soumillon. £151,345. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 6-4-0-1, $519,341. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Castle Star (Ire), 126, c, 2, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Awohaam (Ire), by Iffraaj (GB). O-Craig Bernick & Antony Beck; B-Churchtown Bloodstock, Grouseridge & Carhue (IRE); T-Fozzy Stack. £57,378.
3–Armor (GB), 126, c, 2, No Nay Never–Hestia (Fr), by High Chaparral (Ire). (€55,000 Ylg '20 ARQDOY). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Mr C E Stedman (GB); T-Richard Hannon. £28,716.
Margins: HF, NK, NK. Odds: 2.75, 12.00, 9.00.
Also Ran: Go Bears Go (Ire), Caturra (Ire), Twilight Jet (Ire), Asymmetric (Ire), Dr Zempf (GB), New York City (Ire), HMS Endeavour. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Starman Heads Maurice de Gheest Cast

Deauville stages the G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest on Sunday, where David Ward's G1 July Cup hero Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) has to tackle testing ground as he bids to put his marker down on the sprinting division. Beaten only once when encountering soft going in Ascot's G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S., the 4-year-old nevertheless carries significant stable confidence into the 6 1/2-furlong highlight.

“He's in cracking form and we're super excited, so fingers crossed,” trainer Ed Walker said. “Everything has gone very well since the July Cup. On his last piece of work, I think he's improving, dare I say it.”

Wesley Ward is already off the mark at the meeting with Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) and it is another Stonestreet Stables representative who offers stern opposition to the British talisman in Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who was awarded the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last time June 18.

“She's there and in good shape and Frankie (Dettori) is riding, so there are no worries,” said Ward. “I think there are a lot of showers around and that is going to suit Campanelle just fine.”

Marc Chan's 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) stays further than this and showed last time when winning Goodwood's G2 Lennox July 27 that he handles the soft. That is not so much the case with Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was runner-up to Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) in the July 11 G1 Prix Jean Prat here.

“The better the ground, the better his chance,” trainer Joseph O'Brien commented. “We were thrilled to see Thunder Moon get back on track in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville last time, as his first two runs of the season had been very disappointing. The drop in trip seemed to help him and he was only just touched off by Laws of Indices. This even shorter trip should be fine for him and the less testing ground will definitely be in his favour, as we considered taking him out of the Prix Jean Prat on account of the softening ground.”

There are only three home-trained runners and the pick seems to be Jean-Claude Seroul's winning machine Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Having won the seven-furlong G3 Prix du Palais-Royal and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp May 30 and July 1, the homebred switches to a straight track but trainer Jerome Reynier is happy it will not hinder his chances.

“He has won seven in a row and was tried over a straight course back in April at Chantilly and handled it well,” he explained. “Six and a half furlongs is a bit of a long trip for the sprinters, but he has won over seven and I think he's got a good chance. This is the logical next step and we're looking forward to it. It's a pretty good race and it will be good to try him against this sort of opposition. If we can step up onto the podium, we will be delighted.”

At The Curragh, the G1 the Keeneland Phoenix S. sees the June 26 G2 Railway S. first, second and fourth Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), Castle Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and Dr Zempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) renew rivalry. The former, who was previously second in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot June 17, has to do it on softer ground this time but trainer David Loughnane is not overly concerned.

“With the weather forecast, the ground is probably going to be a bit softer than we would like it to be but he has won on soft ground previously so provided he turns up and gets out of bed on the right side, I think he should take all the beating,” he said. “On paper, we certainly look the one to beat but there's every chance something else in the race could have taken a big step forward since the Railway. We're going there confident, but we're well aware Group 1s are not easily won.”

Fozzy Stack is happy to re-engage with Craig Bernick and Antony Beck's May 22 G3 Marble Hill S. winner Castle Star and is hoping the predicted change in conditions might level the playing ground. “He obviously handled slower ground and it might upset one or two of the others, so I wouldn't mind a drop of rain,” he said. Peter Brant's 'TDN Rising Star' Dr Zempf was the most in need of the experience in the Railway and should have improved for the run, while Aidan O'Brien who has won this a record 16 times has the filly Prettiest (Dubawi {Ire}) as his main challenger but she needs to fare better than when fourth in the G3 Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown July 22.

The third Group 1 of the day comes at Hoppegarten, with the Longines 131st Grosser Preis von Berlin attracting Kirsten Rausing's July 3 G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Godolphin's Mar. 6 G2 Dubai City of Gold scorer Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) as they encounter the July 4 G1 Deutsches Derby third Imi (Ger) (Tertullian). Back at Deauville, the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is the star act in the 12 1/2-furlong G3 OSAF Prix de Reux as he looks to get his 4-year-old campaign on track and extend Aidan O'Brien's stellar record in France in 2021.

Click here for the group fields.

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