Tag: Caulfield Cup

Sapporo Kinen An Important Jumping-Off Point For Big Names

The return of Group 1 racing in Japan is officially about six weeks away, but Sunday's 2000-metre Sapporo Kinen–a Group 2 in name only–sees the return to action of some familiar names who are potentially looking to prep for big spots further afield over the coming months.

Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the 2021 G1 Tokyo Yushun hero, makes his first start since finishing fifth to world's top-rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in defence of his title in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 25, with a trip to America for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in the offing, all things equal. The 5-year-old son of Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai) will be ridden for the first time by Takeshi Yokoyama. Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was just defeated in the 2021 Sapporo Kinen before going on to annex the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

The progressive Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), third to Shahryar in Group 3 company in 2021, earned his first success at pattern level when prevailing by 3/4 of a length in the G2 Kinko Sho last March. It was off to Hong Kong for his next and a meeting with local champion Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Accalamation {GB}) in the G1 FWD QE II Cup in late April, and Prognosis covered himself in glory in finishing two lengths adrift of the course-and-distance specialist in second. All roads could lead back to Sha Tin for the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting in December.

Win Mighty (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) steps out for the first time since finishing a narrowly beaten second when going for consecutive victories in the G3 Mermaid S. at Hanshin June 18. The 6-year-old, third in the 2021 G1 Yushun Himba, holds an entry for the G1 Caulfield Cup during the Melbourne Spring Carnival Oct. 21, but will need a strong effort to merit the journey down under.

Defending chamipion Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) won a star-studded renewal of the G1 Osaka Hai going this distance at Hanshin Apr. 2 and cut back to the mile for his latest in the G1 Yasuda Kinen, where he finished a determined fifth to the Breeders' Cup-bound Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) after setting the pace. He would become the first back-to-back winner of this race since Air Groove (Jpn) in 1997-98. Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who ran on well to finish three-parts of a length adrift of the three-peating Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan when last spotted, should also appreciate Sunday's 10-furlong trip. The 4-year-old is reunited with Joao Moreira this weekend.

 

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Sea The Stars Likely Mate For Verry Elleegant

Eleven-times Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) is likely to visit leading European sire Sea The Stars (Ire) in her first year at stud in 2023, Racing.com reports.

Co-owner Brae Sokolski told the website that the decision was not final, but that the ownership was leaning in the direction of breeding to the sire that has been represented by the world's top-rated turf horse Baaeed (GB) and the legendary stayer Stradivarius (Ire).

“She'll be served to northern hemisphere time and while no final decision has been made on the stallion, Sea The Stars is probably the most likely suitor,” Sokolski said of last year's Melbourne Cup hero.

“Then we will decide whether to keep her there (Europe) and do it again or bring her back. It's unresolved at the moment.”

Having taken races like the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup and G1 Caulfield while under the care of Chris Waller, Verry Elleegant was sent to the northern hemisphere this spring to be trained by Francis-Henri Graffard. In four European appearances, the 7-year-old was third in the G2 Qatar Prix Foy and closed her career with an unplaced effort in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares at Ascot Oct. 15.

Sea The Stars resides at the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in Ireland, where he served mares at an advertised fee of €150,000 in 2022.

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You’re ‘Verry’ Welcome

Following the frantic Saturday, a sense of serenity returns to the European racing scene on Sunday with Deauville hosting the leading action including the G1 Darley Prix Morny and G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet. In the latter contest, France says bienvenue to the Australian wonder Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) who makes her eagerly anticipated Northern Hemisphere debut under Frankie Dettori for the Francis-Henri Graffard stable. Her astounding 11 Group 1 wins in her former country make her a figure of worldwide renown, but a 12th in Europe would truly set the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup heroine apart.

Last in the winner's enclosure at Randwick six months ago after the Chipping Norton S., Jomara Bloodstock's 7-year-old has several formlines to suggest she can deal with this transition. There is a strong contender lying in wait in Robert Moran's June 8 G3 Munster Oaks and July 7 G3 Stanerra S. winner Rosscarbery (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), so this will be no soft landing.

“It will be a new experience for her on the other side of the world,” Dettori told Racing.com. “She's had a bit of a break, so we'd expect her to come on for the race. When you look back at the Caulfield Cup, she beat the Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck, so if you can match that form that's pretty decent. I managed to speak to Mark Zahra and I will talk to James [McDonald], but the most important thing is just to keep her quiet the first part of the race and make the finish. It is her comeback race and obviously her long-range target is the Arc, so it's the first step forward to get to that.”

 

 

 

Ballydoyle Hold The Key To The Morny

Aidan O'Brien ruled the roost at The Curragh on Saturday and even managed to snag a black-type contest here on the same afternoon, but they are all probably the appetiser for the G1 Darley Prix Morny which Rosegreen dominate with the July 17 G2 Prix Robert Papin first and second Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) and The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

Blackbeard was the operation's first black-type winner among the juvenile crop in 2022 and since his battling display in the Listed First Flier S. at The Curragh May 2, the stable have garnered another 13, including 11 at group level. Blackbeard has aided the cause with further wins in the May 21 G3 Marble Hill S. also at The Curragh and Chantilly's Robert Papin, while The Antarctic came here to take the G2 Prix de Cabourg which serves as this race's main course-and-distance trial Aug. 2. The latter, a full-brother to Battaash (Ire), has three lengths to make up on his warrior stablemate, but the master of Ballydoyle suggested this is no foregone conclusion.

“We always thought The Antarctic was a very good horse, which is why we supplemented him. He's just taking a little bit of time to come, but he's getting better,” he said.

Deja Vu?

Twelve months ago, Richard Fahey brought a G2 Norfolk S. winner here, booked Christophe Soumillon and the rest was history. This year, Steve Bradley's surprise winner The Ridler (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) gets the treatment and if history can repeat itself, then the follow-up act to Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) will be able to put a controversial win in that June 16 Royal Ascot contest behind him.

“He ran through the line at Ascot over a very stiff five and I just think the further he goes, the better he'll go,” Fahey said.

In a renewal lacking a single French runner, the July 7 G2 July S. winner Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) adds intrigue but the shadow of Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) hangs over all after he put seven lengths between them in the Phoenix.

“I was amazed with that race in Ireland–I was staggered that something could beat him that far,” trainer Richard Hannon said. “He's a very good horse and hopefully he's able to show it on Sunday.”

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O’Brien Horses In Australia Subjected To Out-Of-Competition Tests After Feed Contamination Concerns

After top international trainers Aidan and Joseph O'Brien were forced to scratch horses from Sunday's races due to concerns about possible feed contamination, news broke Monday that Australian authorities are testing O'Brien horses based there.

Racing Post reported that top Caulfield Cup hopeful Anthony Van Dyck and Melbourne Cup contender Tiger Moth just arrived in Australia to prepare for those races.

The O'Brien horses are fed products made by Gain Equine Nutrition, which warned customers that some batches of some of its products may have been contaminated with zilpaterol. Zilpaterol is not permitted in Europe but is commonly used in the States by cattle farmers to add weight to cows. It is a beta agonist and therefore could have anabolic-like side effects.

A French lab detected zilpaterol in urine samples taken from O'Brien horses after the company's warning.

“Racing Victoria (RV) can advise that its integrity services team are liaising with Irish trainers Aidan and Joseph O'Brien regarding the circumstances that led to the stable scratching runners in France and Ireland across the weekend due to concerns regarding the alleged contamination of horse feed that it utilizes.

“Reports from both trainers and international racing authorities are that feed used by both stables has been found in Europe to be contaminated with the prohibited substance Zilpaterol.

“Following discussions with the O'Brien stables, RV stewards have today conducted out of competition testing on their horses at Werribee to determine whether Zilpaterol is currently in any of the horse's systems. The results of these tests may take up to one week.

“Furthermore, both stables have confirmed to RV stewards today that they have ceased using feed from the provider in question.”

Learn more about feed contamination in this 2015 Paulick Report feature.

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