Tag: Catnip

Facteur Cheval Upends Dubai Turf, Lord North Off the Board

After knocking on the door so many times–finishing second or third in four Group 1 events in his four most recent starts–Team Valor and Gary Barber's Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}–Jawlaat {Ire}, by Shamardal) got one of his own in an ultra-competitive renewal of the $5-million G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday. Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the Dubai Turf the last three years and seeking an historic four-peat, broke a bit awkwardly, but despite recovering quickly, finished off the board. The U.S. hope Catnip (Kitten's Joy) went wrong in late stretch, with rider Christophe Lemaire thrown hard to the ground and removed from his final mounts on the card after being taken to hospital. While he reportedly suffered a broken collar bone and rib, Catnip's injuries necessitated euthanization shortly after the race.

Under Maxime Guyon, who won this race in 2015 with Solow (Singspiel {Ire}), Facteur Cheval bided his time far back, midfield but in the clear, as Feb. 25 G2 Nakayama Kinen winner Matenro Sky (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) went to the early lead with three-time Group 1 heroine Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) a close second. The field was cluttered up early with Japanese hope and multiple Group 1 scorer Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) unlucky and in receipt of a rough trip.

Facteur Cheval tipped out into the lane, hooking up with diminutive Japanese Group 1 heroine Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who commenced an even-wider run from even further back than the eventual winner. The two finished so close a photo was required to determine the gold medallist, who got there by a short head. Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), runner-up in this event last year, finished third. The final time for the 1800 metres was 1:45.91.

“It's just amazing, I have no words,” said trainer Jerome Reynier, a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start program. “I see a horse here that has been prepared the best way possible by [work rider] Gregory [Davignon] and it's just amazing, I can't believe it.

“I said to Maxime I've never seen this horse go backwards at the finish, he is always going forward and giving his best. I had no doubts about the distance and Maxime has given him a perfect ride; he had Lord North to follow and he switched off during the race.

“He switched him to the outside and then waited long enough to save something for the end and that's just amazing. I am so happy for all my team.”

Reynier also said Facteur Cheval would likely stay in Dubai, where he has reportedly thrived, and would possibly train up to the Apr. 28 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Hong.

The Dubai Turf winner won the first four starts of his career in France in 2022 before finishing that year with his first group score in the G3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud. Although he failed to visit the winner's circle in 2023, he was never worse than third and placed in four consecutive Group 1 events. He was last seen finishing second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot Oct. 21. The Dubai Turf victory marked the kickoff of his 2024 campaign.

With a fourth Dubai Turf not in the cards, Lord North appeared to exit his eighth-place finish well.

“He had a great spot, great cover,” said regular Dubai partner Frankie Dettori. “He travelled great into the straight, but he just didn't have the gears that he had in the past. We are all getting older, right?”

 

Pedigree Notes

Facteur Cheval is the first Group 1 winner for France's Ribchester, a resident of Darley's Haras du Logis, and one of nine black-type winners for the son of Iffraaj (GB) worldwide, which include two group winners in Australia. A four-time Group 1 winner himself between England and France, Ribchester also was third in the 2017 Dubai Turf. Facteur Cheval, one of 102 stakes winners out of a daughter of the late Shamardal, is a member of his sire's first crop.

The unraced Jawlaat, a Shadwell-consigned 18,000gns purchase in 2016 at Tattersalls February by McCracken Farms–breeder of Facteur Cheval–has a yearling colt by Sottsass (Fr). She is a half-sister to multiple group winner Tantheem (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) and hails from the same family as Shadwell's multiple Group 1 winner Tamayuz (GB) (Nayef).

Jawlaat was a third-generation Shadwell-bred whose fifth dam, Allegretta (GB) (Lombard {Ger}), produced both 2000 G1 2000 winner King's Best (Kingmambo) and the immortal Urban Sea (Miswaki). The latter–herself winner of the 1993 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe–is responsible for a breed-shaping dynasty, not least through her sons Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire).

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI TURF SPONSORED BY DP WORLD-G1, AED5,000,000, Meydan, 3-30, 3yo/up, 9fT, 1:45.91, gd.
1–FACTEUR CHEVAL (IRE), 126, g, 5, by Ribchester (Ire)
                1st Dam: Jawlaat (Ire), by Shamardal
                2nd Dam: Riqa (GB), by Dubawi (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Thamarat (GB), by Anabaa
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (145,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA;
€120,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Team Valor International & Gary
Barber; B-McCracken Farms (IRE); T-Jerome Reynier; J-Maxime
Guyon. $2,900,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Fr, G1SP-
Eng, 14-6-4-3, $3,748,163. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Namur (Jpn), 121, m, 5, Harbinger (GB)–Sambre Et Meuse
(Jpn), by Daiwa Major (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm Co Ltd; B-Northern
Farm (JPN); T-Tomokazo Takano. $1,000,000.
3–Danon Beluga (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Coasted, by
Tizway. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (¥160,000,000 Wlg '19
JRHAJUL). O-Danox Co Ltd; B-Northern Farm (JPN); T-Noriyuki
Hori. $500,000.
Margins: SHD, 3/4, HF.
Also Ran: Measured Time (GB), Do Deuce (Jpn), Straight Arron, Calif (Ger), Lord North (Ire), Nashwa (GB), San Donato (Ire), Real World (Ire), Cairo (Ire), Voyage Bubble (Aus), Luxembourg (Ire), Matenro Sky (Jpn). Also Ran (DNF): Catnip.
Click for the ERA chart & video.

 

O-Team Valor International LLC and Gary Barber; B-McCracken Farms (Ire); T-Jerome Reynier.

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DWC Trackside Report: Catnip Me-‘Wow’-ing Them At Meydan

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — With over 100 of the world's most talented gallopers on hand, it isn't easy to stand out, but John and Susan Moore's G1 Dubai Turf hopeful Catnip (Kitten's Joy) has done just that at Meydan this week.

A strapping, nearly-black gelding, Catnip exits a longshot, but close third to Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 27. Trainer Mike Stidham looked at Catnip's Ragozin sheet and that encouraged him to swing for the fences in a hot renewal of the G1 Dubai Turf, bypassing a considerably easier spot in last weekend's GII Muniz Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds.

“He ran a huge new top in that race,” the freshly arrived Stidham said Wednesday. “We had a choice of running him for $300,000 or $5 million and we decided to take a shot at the $5 million and brought him over. So far, so good.”

Catnip is a half-brother to five-time U.S. graded winner Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}), who was purchased by China Horse Club for $1.7 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2022 and went on to win a Group 3 while posting a pair of narrowly beaten seconds in Group 1 company in Australia for trainer Chris Waller.

 

 

 

On his last visit to Meydan, Stidham saddled 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) to a victory in the 2021 Dubai World Cup.

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's GI Pegasus World Cup third Crupi (Curlin) was out in the 5-6 a.m. window reserved for the international contingent, his chestnut colt gleaming under the floodlights before and after a couple of spins around the track. Repole will not be in attendance, as he will be on hand at Gulfstream Park to watch 'TDN Rising Star' and champion Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby, but here to represent the stable are Pat Cummings and a sleep-deprived Alex Solis II. You'll have to contact him for details.

The American-based, but locally owned Clapton (Brethren) is hard to miss when he comes onto the track, his orange tack and matching polos giving him absolutely no cover. After some internal discussion, the Florida-bred was given the green light for a World Cup bid, and connections are quietly confident he will fire his best shot Saturday.

Trainer Todd Fincher and owner Joe Peacock, Jr. made their way across the track to the starting gate where G1 Saudi Cup hero Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) got acquainted with the stalls before showing good energy in his track gallop. He appears a fresh horse despite his recent travels.

So popular was Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time) leading up to last year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen that a DailySibelius hashtag was created on X. By the looks of it, he's grown his fan club and is always good for hamming it up at the outside fence beneath his adoring work rider Allyson Walker.

 

 

 

Also making a good impression was fellow Golden Shaheen entrant Nakatomi (Firing Line), a rare Dubai runner for trainer Wesley Ward. Hopkins (Quality Road), beaten just a length into fourth by Sibelius last year, went through his gears down the lane Wednesday.

Gander S. winner Pandagate (Arrogate) was led onto the track by assistant trainer Miguel Clement, with his wife Acacia Clement not far behind. The New York-bred gray–his late sire's literal body double–stood for what felt like an eternity on the outside rail before taking off around Meydan and wrapping things up with a visit to the gate.

Caramel Chip (Midshipman) looks to have it all to do against the likes of Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) and Isolate (Mark Valeski) in Saturday's G2 Godolphin Mile, but win, lose or draw, the Jose D'Angelo trainee looks to be doing as well as he could be ahead of the $1-million contest.

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Catnip On Course For Dubai Turf Following Fair Grounds Work

John and Susan Moore's Catnip (Kitten's Joy), beaten less than a length into third by Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 27, breezed six furlongs in 1:13 at the Fair Grounds Thursday morning in advance of his next appearance in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan Mar. 30.

“He broke off behind another horse and went on by, finished well and galloped out nicely. Very pleased with the way he went,” said trainer Mike Stidham.

The 5-year-old is a four-time winner from his 10 trips to the post, including a victory in the GIII Monmouth S. last summer followed by a narrow runner-up effort in the GI United Nations S. at the Jersey Shore oval. The half-brother to five-time graded winner and five-time GI/G1SP Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}) was returning from a 5 1/2-month layoff in the Pegasus, having finished down the field in the GI Arlington Million last August.

Connections could easily have opted for a far easier test in the GII Muniz Memorial S. Mar. 23, but have elected to shoot for the stars in the desert.

“We felt like he stepped up in the Pegasus, only got beat 3/4 of a length behind Warm Heart,” Stidham said. “This is a $5-million race and it's another Grade I and although he's a gelding, the Moores still own the mare. So it was kind of an exciting race to consider. We kind of let him tell us based on how he's been doing since the Pegasus.

“In my opinion, the horse has moved forward off the Pegasus, he ran a 4 1/2 on the Ragozin sheets, a huge lifetime top for him, and we just kind of felt, 'hey, he's earned a shot,' the trainer continued. “Going over there and challenging the top horses in the world from Japan and Britain and Hong Kong, that's asking a lot, but he just got beat to Warm Heart and she would be considered one of the favorites for a race like this.”

The Stidham barn is one-for-one from their trips to Dubai, having been represented by 'TDN Rising Star' and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) three years ago.

“This will be our second try over there,” Stidham said. “The only difference is this time we won't have to wear a mask. We got to go right in the middle of COVID and it was empty and everyone had masks on.”

Japanese ace Christophe Lemaire has the call in the Dubai Turf.

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U.N. Top Three Target Kentucky Downs Features

Therapist (Freud), winner of last weekend's GI United Nations at Monmouth, will be pointed for Kentucky Downs' $1.7 million, GII FanDuel Kentucky Turf Cup Sept. 9, according to trainer Mike Maker. Maker confirmed that stablemate Red Knight (Pure Prize), the UN third-place finisher who won the Kentucky Turf Cup last year, will also target the 12-furlong race. The 9-year-old won the June 10 GI Man o' War S. The Turf Cup is a 'Win and You're In' for the Breeders' Cup Turf, held at Del Mar this November.

“[Therapist] finished strong, and I loved his gallop-out,” said Maker, who has won the race on five prior occasions since 2015. “Red Knight would appreciate a faster pace, and he had a pretty wide trip as well. But both horses ran very well.”

In related news, U.N. runner-up Catnip (Silent Name {Jpn}) is likely to contest the $2-million GIII Mint Millions at Kentucky Downs Sept. 2, according to trainer Michael Stidham. The 4-year-old took the June 17 GIII Monmouth S. prior to his UN appearance.

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